high-stepper: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, descriptive, sometimes slightly dated or humorous.
Quick answer
What does “high-stepper” mean?
A horse that lifts its legs very high when walking or trotting.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A horse that lifts its legs very high when walking or trotting.
A person who walks with an exaggerated, often proud or showy, gait; more broadly, a person who lives in a showy, extravagant, or ostentatious manner.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition. More likely to be encountered in equestrian or older literary contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly old-fashioned in both. In BrE, might be associated with a 'toff' or someone putting on airs. In AmE, might evoke a 'showboat' or someone from the 'Roaring Twenties' flapper era.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary speech for both. Slightly higher historical frequency in AmE due to jazz-age cultural references.
Grammar
How to Use “high-stepper” in a Sentence
[be] a high-stepper[walk/like] a high-stepperVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Rare, possibly in historical or cultural studies discussing performative masculinity or fashion.
Everyday
Rare. If used, it's descriptive and informal.
Technical
In equestrian circles, used literally for a horse's gait.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “high-stepper”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “high-stepper”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “high-stepper”
- Confusing it with 'high-achiever'. Using it in formal contexts. Overusing it as a general synonym for 'successful person'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually not. It often implies the person is being showy, arrogant, or putting on airs, though it can be used humorously without strong malice.
Yes, though historically it was more often applied to men. For a woman, it might specifically suggest a proud, flamboyant, or 'diva'-like attitude.
Yes. The verb 'to high-step' (to lift the legs high when walking) is the action from which the noun 'high-stepper' is derived.
No, it is quite rare in modern everyday English. You are most likely to encounter it in older books, films, or in specific equestrian contexts.
A horse that lifts its legs very high when walking or trotting.
High-stepper is usually informal, descriptive, sometimes slightly dated or humorous. in register.
High-stepper: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪ ˈstep.ə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪ ˈstep.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No direct idioms. The word itself is somewhat idiomatic.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a person STEPPING so HIGH they look like a parade horse; they want everyone to see them.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERSON IS A PERFORMANCE ANIMAL (specifically a show horse). PRIDE/SHOWINESS IS ELEVATED MOTION.
Practice
Quiz
In its original and most literal sense, a 'high-stepper' refers to: