unicorn

Meaning

Noun

1. A mythical horse with a single, straight, spiraled horn projecting from its forehead.
2. (historical) In various Bible translations, used to render the Latin unicornis or rhinoceros (representing Hebrew רְאֵם): a reem or wild ox.
3. Any large beetle having a horn-like prominence on the head or prothorax, especially the Hercules beetle, Dynastes tityus.
4. A caterpillar, Schizura unicornis, with a large thorn-like spine on the back near its head.
5. The kamichi, or unicorn bird.
6. A howitzer.
7. Someone or something that is rare and hard to find.
8. (slang) Someone or something that is rare and hard to find.
9. Someone or something that is rare and hard to find.
10. Someone or something that is rare and hard to find.
11. (attributive) Being many (especially pastel) colours; multicoloured.
12. (historical) A 15th-century Scottish gold coin worth 18 shillings, bearing the image of a unicorn.
13. Certain animals:
14. Certain animals:

Verb

1. (slang) To participate in a sexual threesome as a bisexual addition to an established heterosexual couple.
2. To exceed a valuation of one billion U.S. dollars, while solely backed by venture capitalists.

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Having one horn.
2. (not-comparable) Rare and hard to find.

Synonyms

narwhal

steed

kylin

Translations

licorne

🦄

Einhorn

🦄

unicornio

🦄

unicorno

eenhoorn

🦄

unicorn

🦄

unicórnio

🦄

μονόκερως

liocorno

🦄

μονόκερος

tekboynuz

unicornuus

unicornis

licorne

🦄

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈjuːnɪkɔːn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: unicorne

In summary

From Middle English unicorne, unikorn, from Anglo-Norman unicorne, Old French unicorne, and their source, Latin ūnicornis, from ūnus (“one”) + cornū (“horn”).
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.