hinny

Everyday

1. A hinny is the young of a male horse and a female donkey; it looks a bit like a mule. tree →
2. (dialect, northern England and Scotland) «Hinny» is a loving word for someone, like «honey» or «pet», especially in the North East (Geordie). tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons, a hinny and a mule are both crosses between a horse and a donkey: a mule has a donkey dad and a horse mum; a hinny has a horse dad and a donkey mum. Hinnies are rarer than mules and usually cannot have babies. In Newcastle and Northumberland, «hinny» or «hinney» is a friendly name, and «singin' hinnies» are griddle cakes.

Examples

• A hinny has a horse father and a donkey mother. tree →
• Hinnies are rarer than mules. tree →
• Like mules, hinnies usually cannot have foals. tree →
• (dialect) «Come here, hinny, and give us a hug,» said Nana. tree →
• (dialect) «Ta, hinny,» said the lady at the shop in Newcastle. tree →
• Singin' hinnies are cakes that sizzle on the griddle. tree →

Note

Plural: hinnies (change y to ie). The trap: hinny and mule are opposite crosses; remember «mule = mum is a horse». Also «hinny» can mean the sound of a horse (whinny) in old dialect, but «whinny» is the usual word.