horn English · revision 7392

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=ine-pro *ḱer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /hɔːn/ ''(UK)''; /hɔɹn/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|ang|horn|t=horn of an animal; projection; wind instrument]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Proto-Germanic *hurnaz,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) source also of Dutch [[m|nl|hoorn]], German [[m|de|Horn]] and Gothic [[m|got|𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌽|tr=haurn]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from PIE [[ine-pro|*ḱer-|alt=*ker-|t=horn; head]], also the source of Latin [[m|la|cornu]] and Greek [[m|grc|κέρας|tr=kéras]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The horn of an animal: about 725, in Beowulf; a wind instrument, about 830, in the Vespasian Psalter.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A tip of the crescent moon is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) The wind instrument was originally made from an animal's horn, and the name passed to brass instruments developed from the hunting horn.^(Etymonline) Of dilemmas (''on the horns of a dilemma'') it is from the 1540s, and of motor-car warning signals from 1901.^(Etymonline) A trumpet in jazz slang is by 1921, and a telephone by 1945.^(Etymonline) The verb, to cuckold, is from the 1540s, and ''horn in'', to intrude, is later.^(Etymonline) Word Origins relates horn to [[corn]], hard skin, and [[cornea]] through Latin cornu.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – an animal's horn.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 830 – a wind instrument.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1540s – horns of a dilemma.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1901 – a car horn.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1921 – a trumpet (jazz).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1945 – a telephone.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A hard, pointed, often curved growth on the head of cattle, sheep, goats and other animals.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The substance of horns, used to make objects.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A brass wind instrument, especially the French horn.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A device on a vehicle that makes a warning sound.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' A telephone.^(Etymonline)^(Dalzell 2013)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(horn in)'' To intrude or interfere.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To butt with the horns.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hornist]]

+ * [[horned]]

+ * [[hornedness]]

+ * [[hornless]]

+ * [[hornlessness]]

+ * [[hornlike]]

+ * [[hornish]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[corn]]

+ * [[cornea]]

+ * [[cornet]]

+ * [[unicorn]]

+ * [[hornet]]

+ * [[rhinoceros]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}