unicorn

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English unicorne, unikorn, from Anglo-Norman unicorne, Old French unicorne, and their source, Latin ūnicornis, from ūnus (“one”) +‎ cornū (“horn”). Displaced native Old English ānhorn, itself a calque. Other senses from either rarity (e.g., possessing multiple skills) or by physical resemblance to having a horn (e.g., howitzer). The finance sense was coined by American investor Aileen Lee and first used in a 2013 article. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈjuː.nɪ.kɔːn/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈju.nɪ.kɔɹn/ === Noun === unicorn (plural unicorns) (mythology) A mythical horse, widely believed to exist until the 17th century, with a single, straight, spiraled horn projecting from its forehead. Synonym: (obsolete) monoceros Hyponyms: pegacorn, unipeg, unisus Meronym: alicorn Holonym: blessing (biblical) In various Bible translations, used to render the Latin unicornis or rhinoceros (representing Hebrew רְאֵם): a reem or wild ox. Certain animals: Any large beetle having a horn-like prominence on the head or prothorax, especially the Hercules beetle, Dynastes tityus. A caterpillar, Schizura unicornis, with a large thorn-like spine on the back near its head. The kamichi, or unicorn bird. A Siberian unicorn, †Elasmotherium sibiricum. An Asian unicorn, or saola, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis. (military) A howitzer. Someone or something that is rare and hard to find. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:rarity (slang) A single, usually bisexual woman who participates in swinging or polyamory. (business) A person with multidisciplinary expertise, especially a laundry list of three or more skills in a young field such as UX design or data science (e.g., domain knowledge, statistics, and software engineering). Synonym: purple squirrel (finance) A startup company whose valuation has exceeded one billion U.S. dollars, which is solely backed by venture capitalists, and which has yet to have an IPO. Coordinate terms: decacorn, hectocorn (VTuber fandom slang) A fan with serious aspirations to become romantically involved with a VTuber (i.e., the streamer behind the avatar). (attributive) Being many (especially pastel) colours; multicoloured. (historical) A 15th-century Scottish gold coin worth 18 shillings, bearing the image of a unicorn. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Korean: 유니콘 (yunikon) ==== Translations ==== === Verb === unicorn (third-person singular simple present unicorns, present participle unicorning, simple past and past participle unicorned) (slang) To participate in a sexual threesome as a bisexual addition to an established heterosexual couple. (finance) To exceed a valuation of one billion U.S. dollars, while solely backed by venture capitalists. === Adjective === unicorn (not comparable) Having one horn. (Can we verify(+) this sense?) Rare and hard to find. ==== Derived terms ==== === See also === === References === === Further reading === unicorn on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Category:Category:unicorns on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons unicorns on Wikiquote.Wikiquote “unicorn”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin unicornis. === Pronunciation === === Noun === unicorn m (plural unicorns) unicorn Synonym: alicorn === Further reading === “unicorn”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 == Middle English == === Noun === unicorn alternative form of unicorne == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French unicorne. Equivalent to uni- +‎ corn (“horn”). === Adjective === unicorn m or n (feminine singular unicornă, masculine plural unicorni, feminine/neuter plural unicorne) one-horned ==== Declension ====