leghorn

noun

leg·​horn ˈleg-ˌhȯrn How to pronounce leghorn (audio)
ˈle-ˌgȯrn,
-gərn
1
a
: a fine plaited straw made from an Italian wheat
b
: a hat of this straw
2
: any of a Mediterranean breed of small hardy domestic chickens noted for their large production of white eggs

Illustration of leghorn

Illustration of leghorn
  • leghorn 2

Examples of leghorn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Most Common Breed of Egg-Laying Chicken is the White Leghorn The breed was first imported to America in 1828 from the Italian port city of Livorno; leghorn is an anglicization of the city's name. Fox News, 29 Oct. 2015

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leghorn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Leghorn, Italy

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of leghorn was in 1810

Dictionary Entries Near leghorn

Cite this Entry

“Leghorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leghorn. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

leghorn

noun
leg·​horn ˈleg-ˌ(h)ȯ(ə)rn How to pronounce leghorn (audio)
ˈleg-ərn
1
a
: a fine plaited straw made from an Italian wheat
b
: a hat of this straw
2
: any of a Mediterranean breed of small hardy domestic chickens noted for their ability to produce many white eggs

Geographical Definition

Leghorn

geographical name

Leg·​horn ˈleg-ˌhȯrn How to pronounce Leghorn (audio)
variants or Italian Livorno
commune and port on the Tyrrhenian Sea in the region of Tuscany, central Italy population 157,052

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