Main Entry: horn

Pronunciation: \ˈhȯrn\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German horn, Latin cornu, Greek keras

Date: before 12th century

1 a : one of the usually paired bony processes that arise from the head of many ungulates and that are found in some extinct mammals and reptiles: as (1) : one of the permanent paired hollow sheaths of keratin usually present in both sexes of cattle and their relatives that function chiefly for defense and arise from a bony core anchored to the skull — see cow illustration (2) : antler (3) : a permanent solid horn of keratin that is attached to the nasal bone of a rhinoceros (4) : one of a pair of permanent bone protuberances from the skull of a giraffe or okapi that are covered with hairy skin b : a part like an animal's horn attributed especially to the devil c : a natural projection or excrescence from an animal resembling or suggestive of a horn d (1) : the tough fibrous material consisting chiefly of keratin that covers or forms the horns of cattle and related animals, hooves, or other horny parts (as claws or nails) (2) : a manufactured product (as a plastic) resembling horn e : a hollow horn used to hold something
2 : something resembling or suggestive of a horn: as a : one of the curved ends of a crescent b : a sharp mountain peak c : a body of land or water shaped like a horn d : a beak-shaped part of an anvil e : a high pommel of a saddle f : cornu
3 a : an animal's horn used as a wind instrument b : a brass wind instrument: as (1) : hunting horn (2) : french horn c : a wind instrument used in a jazz band; especially : trumpet d : a usually electrical device that makes a noise like that of a horn
4 : a source of strength
5 : one of the equally disadvantageous alternatives presented by a dilemma
6 slang : telephone

— horn adjective

— horned \ˈhȯrnd also ˈhȯr-nəd\ adjective

— horned·ness \ˈhȯr-nəd-nəs, ˈhȯrn(d)-nəs\ noun

— horn·less \ˈhȯrn-ləs\ adjective

— horn·less·ness noun

— horn·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective