1
: either of a pair of small light frames or rings for receiving the foot of a rider that are attached by a strap to a saddle and used to aid in mounting and as a support while riding
2
: a piece resembling a stirrup: such as
a
: one used as a support or clamp in carpentry and machinery
b
: a stirrup-shaped footrest
3
: a rope secured to a yard and attached to a thimble in its lower end for supporting a footrope
4
: stapes
Examples of stirrup in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When a woman is told to remove her clothing from the waist down, sit on the table, put her legs in the stirrups and push down to the end of the table, there should be only two people in that room.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2024
What was comfortable—and a direct result of the fairly empty flight—was putting the hammock over the tray table of the seat next to me and sitting sideways with my feet up in the stirrup, knees resting on that seat’s back.
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2023
Much of the book charts the evolution of agriculture—after all, most human beings in recent millennia have been farmers—tracing the development of new and better edible plants, as well as pivotal inventions such as the stirrup, the iron plow, and the horse collar.
—Philip Coggan, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2020
There are subtle equestrian touches, too, such as Ralph Lauren stirrup sconces, custom trophy lamps, and custom leatherwork on throw pillows reminiscent of a bridle and reins.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for stirrup 
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2024
What was comfortable—and a direct result of the fairly empty flight—was putting the hammock over the tray table of the seat next to me and sitting sideways with my feet up in the stirrup, knees resting on that seat’s back.
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2023
Much of the book charts the evolution of agriculture—after all, most human beings in recent millennia have been farmers—tracing the development of new and better edible plants, as well as pivotal inventions such as the stirrup, the iron plow, and the horse collar.
—Philip Coggan, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2020
There are subtle equestrian touches, too, such as Ralph Lauren stirrup sconces, custom trophy lamps, and custom leatherwork on throw pillows reminiscent of a bridle and reins.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for stirrup
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stirrup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Stirrup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stirrup. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stirrup
noun
stir·rup
ˈstər-əp 
also ˈstir-əp,
or ˈstə-rəp
1
: either of a pair of small light frames often of metal hung by straps from a saddle and used as a support for the foot of a horseback rider
2
: the innermost bone of the chain of three small bones in the middle ear of a mammal
called also stapes
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