harpoon
[ hahr-poon ]
/ hɑrˈpun /
noun
a barbed, spearlike missile attached to a rope, and thrown by hand or shot from a gun, used for killing and capturing whales and large fish.
(initial capital letter) Military.
a jet-powered, radar-guided U.S. Navy cruise missile with a high explosive warhead designed for use against surface ships and launchable from a surface vessel, submerged submarine, or aircraft.
verb (used with object)
to strike, catch, or kill with or as if with a harpoon.
Origin of harpoon
1590–1600; < Dutch
harpoen ≪ Old French
harpon a clasp, brooch, equivalent to
harp- (< Latin
harpē < Greek: hook) +
-on diminutive suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM harpoon
har·poon·er, noun har·poon·like, adjectiveWords nearby harpoon
harpers ferry,
harpies,
harping,
harpings,
harpist,
harpoon,
harpoon gun,
harpsichord,
harpy,
harpy eagle,
harquebus
Example sentences from the Web for harpooner
British Dictionary definitions for harpooner
harpoon
/ (hɑːˈpuːn) /
noun
- a barbed missile attached to a long cord and hurled or fired from a gun when hunting whales, etc
- (as modifier)a harpoon gun
verb
(tr)
to spear with or as if with a harpoon
Derived forms of harpoon
harpooner or harpooneer, noun harpoon-like, adjectiveWord Origin for harpoon
C17: probably from Dutch
harpoen, from Old French
harpon clasp, from
harper to seize, perhaps of Scandinavian origin