unicorn

American  

[yoo-ni-kawrn] / ˈju nɪˌkɔrn /

noun

• unicorns
  plural

1. a mythical creature resembling a horse, with a single horn in the center of its forehead: often symbolic of chastity or purity.

2. a heraldic representation of this animal, in the form of a horse with a lion's tail and with a long, straight, and spirally twisted horn.

3. Astronomy. Unicorn, the constellation Monoceros.

4. an animal mentioned in the Bible, Deuteronomy 33:17: now believed by some to be a description of a wild ox or rhinoceros.

5. a former gold coin of Scotland, first issued by James III in 1486, having an obverse bearing the figure of a unicorn.

6. Business. a relatively new company, usually less than ten years old, that is valued at $1 billion or more by public or private investors.

7. a person or thing that is rare and highly valued, or is a hypothetical ideal.

   Hiring unicorns is expensive, but their productivity can take your enterprise to the next level.

   Finding jeans that are comfortable and fashionable—that’s my unicorn.

8. Slang. a bisexual woman who joins an established heterosexual couple in a sexual encounter or relationship.

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idioms

1. chase a / the unicorn, to pursue an unattainable object or impossible goal, especially when diverting effort or resources away from an existing commitment or practical plan.

unicorn British  

/ ˈjuːnɪˌkɔːn /

noun

1. an imaginary creature usually depicted as a white horse with one long spiralled horn growing from its forehead

2. Old Testament a two-horned animal, thought to be either the rhinoceros or the aurochs (Deuteronomy 33:17): mistranslation in the Authorized Version of the original Hebrew

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unicorn Cultural  

1. A mythical animal resembling a small horse but with a long, straight horn growing out of its forehead. Often it was described as having the legs of a deer and the tail of a lion. Some sources claim it was visible only to virgins.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• unicorns
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of unicorn

First recorded in 1200–1250; Middle English, from Old French unicorne, from the Latin adjective ūnicornis “one-horned” (used as a noun in the Vulgate and possibly referring to the rhinoceros), a loan translation from the Greek noun and adjective monókerōs, equivalent to uni- “one” + corn(ū) “horn” + -is adjective suffix; see uni-, horn

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Explanation

A unicorn is a mythical horse-like creature which has one horn on its forehead. During the Middle Ages, a unicorn horn was said to have magical healing properties. Unicorns show up in many cultures' traditions of folklore and mythology, reaching as far back as Bronze Age civilizations and ancient Greece. Usually, unicorns are presented in art and stories as looking just like horses — or sometimes goats — aside from their long, spiraling horn. The root of the word unicorn is the Latin adjective unicornis, "having one horn," from uni, or "one," and cornus, "horn."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unicorn unicorns

“She’s a once-in-a-generation candidate from a state that is disproportionately Latino that has been the unicorn that Democrats have chased for decades,” Valencia said.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

The title character of “Buddy” is a falsely cheery unicorn, who presides over a series not unlike “Barney & Friends.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

With a fanbase that included grandmas and Gen-Zers, Republicans and Democrats, drag queens and evangelicals, Parton was a kind of unicorn in America's polarised society.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Read: There have been updates over time, but the original glass etching featuring a mythical unicorn remains on a window in the study.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

It sounded almost as if she were murmuring a song to the unicorn; Tristran wished that he could hear her properly.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Two thirds of the Scottish unicorns are female.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

They have deep, all-consuming special interests just like autistic boys, but their preferred subjects are often socially mainstream: unicorns, a particular type of doll.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

“For SaaS-era unicorns that raised at 2021 peaks, the exit path has narrowed: Strategic M&A at a discount is increasingly the realistic alternative,” Tunguz said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

And Callum Beattie's performance of the Scotland football anthem Yes Sir, I Can Boogie - featuring silver unicorns and dancing Barrowland-style stars - put a smile on everyone's face.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

I take a deep breath and look at Silas with his hazel eyes and unicorns made of freckles.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden

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Related Words

• fantasy
• hypothetical
• ideal
• impossibility
• rarity

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