javelin
[ jav-lin, jav-uh- ]
/ ˈdʒæv lɪn, ˈdʒæv ə- /
noun
a light spear, usually thrown by hand.
Track.
- a spearlike shaft about 8½ feet (2.7 meters) long and usually made of wood, used in throwing for distance.
- Also called javelin throw. a competitive field event in which the javelin is thrown for distance.
verb (used with object)
to strike or pierce with or as if with a javelin.
Origin of javelin
1505–15; < Middle French
javeline, by suffix alteration from
javelot, Anglo-French
gavelot, gaveloc, probably < Old English
gafeluc, *gafeloc ≪ British Celtic
*gablākos presumably, a spear with a forklike head; compare MIr
gablach forked branch, javelin, MWelsh
gaflach (apparently < OIr), derivative of Old Irish
gabul fork, forked branch, cognate with Old Breton
gabl, Welsh
gafl
Words nearby javelin
javan,
javanese,
javari,
javascript,
javel water,
javelin,
javelin fish,
javelina,
javelle water,
javits,
jaw
Example sentences from the Web for javelin
British Dictionary definitions for javelin
javelin
/ (ˈdʒævlɪn) /
noun
a long pointed spear thrown as a weapon or in competitive field events
the javelin
the event or sport of throwing the javelin
Word Origin for javelin
C16: from Old French
javeline, variant of
javelot, of Celtic origin