harpoon

noun

har·​poon här-ˈpün 

: a barbed spear or javelin used especially in hunting large fish or whales

harpoon transitive verb

harpooner noun

Examples of harpoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wire mesh would then unfold along the harpoon cables, creating a huge parabolic dish. —Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2024

Bowhead whales have been found with historical whaling harpoons embedded in their blubber, indicating that some individuals were alive during the 19th century. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024

Nils, for his part, liked to visit this rock with his harpoon. —Brooke Jarvis, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024

Clad in a full steampunk-style deep-sea diving suit, this animatronic also clutches a harpoon with rogue seaweed hanging from the tip. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from Dutch harpoen, from Middle Dutch, from Old French harpon brooch, from harper to grapple

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

harpoon

1 of 2 noun

har·​poon

här-ˈpün

: a barbed spear used especially in hunting large fish or whales

harpoon

2 of 2 verb

: to strike with a harpoon

harpooner noun

Medical Definition

harpoon

noun

har·​poon här-ˈpün 

: a medical instrument with a barbed head used for removing bits of living tissue for examination