See also: Horner and Hörner

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English horner, hornere, equivalent to horn +‎ -er.

Noun

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horner (plural horners)

  1. Someone who works or deals in (animal) horn or horns.
    • 1681, Nehemiah Grew, Musæum Regalis Societatis. Or A Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge. [], London: [] W. Rawlins, for the author, →OCLC:
      The skin of any Bulls Forehead, either for its toughness, or other cause, is the only part of the Hyde made use of by Horners, whereupon they shave their Hornes [] to fit them for Lamphorns
    • 1873, Calendar of State Papers:
      As also all patents for new inventions not put in practice within three years, likewise the several grants of incorporation to hatband makers, gutstring makers, spectacle makers, comb makers, tobacco-pipe makers, butchers, and horners.
  2. (obsolete) Someone who blows a horn (the musical instrument); a hornblower.
  3. (obsolete) Someone who cuckolds.
    • 1624, Philip Massinger, “The Parliament of Love”, in William Gifford, editor, The Plays of Philip Massinger[1], published 1845, act 4, scene 3, page 164:
      Sir, from the party, / The lady you should truck with, the lord's wife / Your worship is to dub, or to make free / Of the company of the horners.
  4. The British sand lance or sand eel, Hyperoplus lanceolatus.
  5. Someone from the Horn of Africa.

References

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Anagrams

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Middle English

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Noun

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horner

  1. Alternative form of hornere