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

A Philippine fintech unicorn backed by Ant International has priced its initial public offering that could value it at around $7 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Nicole Fani, 40, snapped up a rare “secret” unicorn Sonny Angel for more than $300 because she had to have it for her collection of hundreds of the figures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 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

He hoped the moon would send them another unicorn, and knew that she would not.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Japan has produced far fewer unicorns than the U.S. or China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

In short: A big tax break for investment in new companies, introduced in 2009, resulted in more business unicorns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Estonia, with a population of 1.3 million, now has 10 active unicorns -- the most per capita in Europe.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Singer Callum Beattie then appeared - flanked by dancing silver unicorns and stars - and sang Scotland's unofficial football anthem, Yes Sir, I Can Boogie by Baccara.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Mrs. Lonogan steadied herself by gripping the table, as if Finn had just declared his intention to train unicorns for the fairy circus.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby

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Related Words

• fantasy
• hypothetical
• ideal
• impossibility
• rarity

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