unicorn

[ yoo-ni-kawrn ]

/ ˈyu nɪˌkɔrn /

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noun

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

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.

Unicorn, Astronomy. the constellation Monoceros.

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

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

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

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.

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

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Idioms about unicorn

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.

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

Words nearby unicorn

unicellular, unicellulate, Unicode, unicolor, unicolour, unicorn, unicorn plant, unicostate, unicuspid, unicycle, unidentified

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

How to use unicorn in a sentence

Lee was an early investor in the education technology startup that hit unicorn status last year.
‘Don’t wait to be perfect:’ 4 top startup tips from a unicorn’s founder and investor|Beth Kowitt|September 6, 2020|Fortune
Few other markets are able to fund the listing of so many unicorns.
How Tesla led the way for Chinese rival Xpeng’s $1.5 billion IPO|eamonbarrett|August 28, 2020|Fortune
Cities outside the US are attracting more funding, generating more unicorns, and creating thriving startup ecosystems.
The rest of the startup world is catching up to Silicon Valley|Walter Frick|July 17, 2020|Quartz
Scientists might use the tools of bioengineering to cobble together the traits of a unicorn from other creatures.
What would it take to make a unicorn?|Carolyn Wilke|March 4, 2020|Science News For Students

So unicorns that evolved from albino horses might not be all that healthy.
What would it take to make a unicorn?|Carolyn Wilke|March 4, 2020|Science News For Students
One image in the film also stuck in my craw: a shot of a little boy in the audience holding up his white stuffed unicorn.
The Stacks: Pauline Kael's Talking Heads Obsession|Pauline Kael|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her very first sculpture, a metallic chrome unicorn aptly titled “Space Oracle,” sits on a pedestal directly in front.
The Tiniest Jackson Pollock|Justin Jones|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The victory in 1950 over England is precious, but in the way a unicorn might be: to be regarded wide-eyed, and scarcely believed.
Stars and Stripes 2, Black Stars 1: Team USA Takes a Win From Ghana|Tunku Varadarajan|June 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps the name “unicorn” tells you how common it is for women to swing with couples.
My Night at the NSFW Oscars|Richard Abowitz|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dan worked hard and made a good picture: mountains, timber, blue sky…and in the foreground a blond girl and a unicorn.
The Ballad of Johnny France|Richard Ben Cramer|January 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There are three there, Bill, with a jolly large blue unicorn and a gold pitchfork on em, which is the old ladys arms.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
The Unicorn lost almost all its officers, and about a hundred and forty men.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Abel Sneed, the Unicorn boss, as a matter of precaution went through their 'war bags' while they slept.
David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney
At the entrance, there is a glass screen, ornamentally got up and surmounted with a small lion and unicorn design.
Our Churches and Chapels|Atticus
He saw that the unicorn was a bull considerably larger than the average.
Space Prison|Tom Godwin

British Dictionary definitions for unicorn

unicorn

/ (ˈjuːnɪˌkɔːn) /

noun

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

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

Word Origin for unicorn

C13: from Old French unicorne, from Latin ūnicornis one-horned, from ūnus one + cornu a horn

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

Cultural definitions for unicorn

unicorn

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.