Definition: Harpoon

From New World Encyclopedia
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Etymology

From Old French harpon, from Latin harpaga, a rare variant of Latin harpagÅ, from Ancient Greek á¼Ïπάγη or harpágÄ“ (hook), from á¼Ïπάζω or harpázÅ (to snatch away, to carry off, to seize, to captivate). Sense and spelling perhaps influenced by Dutch harpoen (harpoon).

Noun

harpoon (plural harpoons)

  1. A spear-like weapon with a barbed head used in hunting whales and large fish.

Derived terms

  • harpoon fork
  • harpoon gun

Verb

harpoon (third-person singular simple present harpoons, present participle harpooning, simple past and past participle harpooned)

  1. (transitive) To shoot something with a harpoon.

Derived terms

  • harpooner

Credits

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