Cornu
/ˈkɔr.nuː/noun
A Latin noun meaning "horn," used in English in scientific, musical, and historical contexts.
Did you know?In Roman military life, the *cornu* was both a horn-shaped instrument and a word tied to the idea of curved power, leaving traces in later words like *corner* and *coronary*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱer-
“to bend, curve, or horn”
Latin
Latin
cornu
“horn; a horn-like thing; a wind instrument”
Late Latin
Latin
cornua
“horns; curved projections”
Old French
Old French
corne
“horn”
Modern English
English
cornu
“a horn, especially in anatomical or technical usage”