Wordwyrt

harpoon

/hɑːˈpuːn/hahr-POON
/hɑɹˈpun/hahr-POON

Meaninga grappling iron

Common meaning: a barbed spear used for catching large fish

Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchharpon‘a grappling iron’source
  2. Frenchmeaning shiftsa grappling iron → barbed spearharpe‘barbed spear’source
  3. Englishharpoon‘a barbed spear used for catching large fish’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old French harpon ‘a grappling iron’.

Roots

  • harpon Old French “a grappling iron”

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