dehorn

[ dee-hawrn ]

/ diˈhɔrn /

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verb (used with object)

to remove the horns of (cattle).

to prevent the formation or growth of horns in (cattle), as by cauterization.

Horticulture. to prune (a tree, shrub, etc.) by shortening major branches to an extreme degree.

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Origin of dehorn

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; de- + horn

OTHER WORDS FROM dehorn

de·horn·er, noun

Words nearby dehorn

dehisce, dehiscence, dehiscent, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, dehooker, dehorn, dehort, Dehra Dun, dehull, dehumanization, dehumanize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dehorn in a sentence

First time pa heard 'm he says when he come home, 'That choir 'll never succeed till they dehorn Alvy,' he says.
The Fotygraft Album|Frank Wing
Mr. Kellogg: Isn't it better to dehorn it and get some new shoots to graft?
Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916|Various
I believe, too, you will find it an economy to dehorn these calves at branding time.
Florida: An Ideal Cattle State|Florida State Live Stock Association
Before attempting to dehorn the animal, it should be securely controlled by ropes in a stanchion or by casting.
Special Report on Diseases of Cattle|U.S. Department of Agriculture

British Dictionary definitions for dehorn

dehorn

/ (diːˈhɔːn) /

verb (tr)

to remove or prevent the growth of the horns of (cattle, sheep, or goats)

to cut back (the larger limbs of a tree) drastically

Derived forms of dehorn

dehorner, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012