pronghorns
|prong-horn|
🇺🇸
/ˈprɔŋˌhɔrn/
🇬🇧
/ˈprɒŋhɔːn/
(pronghorn)
horn with a prong
Etymology
'pronghorn' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'prong' + 'horn', where 'prong' meant 'a projecting point or tine' and 'horn' meant 'horn'.
'pronghorn' was formed in North American English in the 19th century to describe the animal with pronged horns; the species was given the scientific name 'Antilocapra americana' in early taxonomic descriptions.
Initially it was a descriptive compound meaning 'horn with a prong'; over time it became the fixed common name for the species Antilocapra americana.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a fast-running North American hoofed mammal (Antilocapra americana) with distinctive forked or pronged horns; commonly called the pronghorn or American antelope.
Pronghorns migrate across the prairie and can reach speeds up to about 55 mph (88 km/h).
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/03 03:18