Horn

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /hɔːn/

Definitions

1. A hard pointed structure growing on the heads of some animals ; a wind instrument that produces music by the vibration of the player's lips ; a device used to make a loud sound or signal, often in vehicles
2. A rigid growth on animal skulls typically used for defense or display ; a brass or similar instrument played by blowing air through it to create melody ; a sound-producing apparatus used to warn or alert others
3. A natural protrusion found on certain species of animals like goats or deer ; a brass or woodwind instrument with a distinctive tone ; a signaling device that emits noise to draw attention or indicate presence

Etymology: The Old English "horn" was the same word as the hard projecting growth on an animal's head, and it also meant a drinking vessel, a musical instrument, and a wind-blown signal. Its deepest roots are in an ancient word for "head" or "horn," which shows up in Latin "cornu," Greek "keras," and Sanskrit "sringa." English "horn" descends from Proto-Germanic "hurnan," and its cousins in Dutch "hoorn," German "Horn," and Gothic "haurn" show the same core sound across the Germanic languages. The Latin "cornu" is a doublet of "corn," the word for a callus or hard skin on the foot, so "corn" and "horn" are two separate English words that split from one ancient root. The same ancient root also gave Latin "cornu" its many descendants, such as "cornet" and "cornucopia." The verb sense, to butt or gore with horns, is a later extension, and the telephone sense comes from the horn-shaped earpieces of early communication systems that used air tubes.

Synonyms: antler, tusk, spike, prong, cone