unicorn

[ yoo-ni-kawrn ]

noun

1. a mythical creature resembling a horse, with a single horn in the center of its forehead: often symbolic of chastity or purity.
2. a heraldic representation of this animal, in the form of a horse with a lion's tail and with a long, straight, and spirally twisted horn.
3. Unicorn, Astronomy. the constellation Monoceros.
4. an animal mentioned in the Bible, Deuteronomy 33:17: now believed by some to be a description of a wild ox or rhinoceros.
5. a former gold coin of Scotland, first issued by James III in 1486, having an obverse bearing the figure of a unicorn.
6. Business. a relatively new company, usually less than ten years old, that is valued at $1 billion or more by public or private investors.
7. a person or thing that is rare and highly valued, or is a hypothetical ideal: Finding jeans that are comfortable and fashionable—that’s my unicorn.

   Hiring unicorns is expensive, but their productivity can take your enterprise to the next level.

   Finding jeans that are comfortable and fashionable—that’s my unicorn.

8. Slang. a bisexual woman who joins an established heterosexual couple in a sexual encounter or relationship.

unicorn

/ ˈjuːnɪˌkɔːn /

noun

1. an imaginary creature usually depicted as a white horse with one long spiralled horn growing from its forehead
2. Old Testament a two-horned animal, thought to be either the rhinoceros or the aurochs (Deuteronomy 33:17): mistranslation in the Authorized Version of the original Hebrew

unicorn

1. A mythical animal resembling a small horse but with a long, straight horn growing out of its forehead. Often it was described as having the legs of a deer and the tail of a lion. Some sources claim it was visible only to virgins.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unicorn¹

First recorded in 1200–1250; Middle English, from Old French unicorne, from the Latin adjective ūnicornis “one-horned” (used as a noun in the Vulgate and possibly referring to the rhinoceros), a loan translation from the Greek noun and adjective monókerōs, equivalent to uni- “one” + corn(ū) “horn” + -is adjective suffix; uni-, horn

Word History and Origins

Origin of unicorn¹

C13: from Old French unicorne, from Latin ūnicornis one-horned, from ūnus one + cornu a horn

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. chase a / the unicorn, to pursue an unattainable object or impossible goal, especially when diverting effort or resources away from an existing commitment or practical plan.

Example Sentences

Cooper Kupp, who sharpened his skills practicing against him, described him as “a unicorn” of a football player.

From Los Angeles Times

Lionel Barber reveals how unicorn hunter Masayoshi Son became Wall Street’s biggest maverick investor.

From Slate

"You're never going to see another case like this. It's a unicorn."

From BBC

Once home to a shop that sold electric motors, the restaurant now features a massive white unicorn hanging on the wall, adding a touch of fun to the space.

From Salon

Unicorn India Ventures, another local VC fund, says 50% of their investments are now in start-ups based in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

From BBC