javelin
pronunciation
How to pronounce javelin in British English:
UK [ˈdʒævlɪn]
How to pronounce javelin in American English:
US [ˈdʒævəlin]
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- Noun:
- an athletic competition in which a javelin is thrown as far as possible
- a spear thrown as a weapon or in competitive field events
Word Origin
- javelin (n.)
- late 15c., from Middle French javeline (15c.), fem. diminutive of Old French javelot "a spear," probably from Gaulish (compare Old Irish gabul "fork;" Welsh gafl "fork," gaflach "feathered spear"), ultimately from PIE *ghabholo- "a fork, branch of a tree." Also found in Italian (giavelotto) and Middle High German (gabilot). Javelot also was borrowed in Middle English, but this is the form of the word that has endured.
Example
- 1. Or maybe javelin is an homage to kennedy , whose code name was lancer .
- 2. And so we have a wobbly javelin , a prickly rock , and a primary in illinois tonight .
- 3. In other words , the chinese gold medallist threw the javelin more than six times as far as japan 's silver medallist .
- 4. Before a javelin has been thrown or a hurdle cleared , a government-sponsored conference for would-be investors will be completed at lancaster house .
- 5. His record throw of 12.75 metres , at the japan masters athletics championship in june , shattered the world centenarian javelin record formerly held by an american .