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Definition of harpoon

harpoon

/hɑːrˈpuːn/
har · poon
Plural:harpoons
•
Past Simple:harpooned
•
Past Participle:harpooned
•
Present Participle:harpooning
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harpoon Lexical Profile

harpoon Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A barbed, spear-like weapon attached to a long rope, historically and currently used for hunting whales and other large marine animals.

Example

"During the nineteenth century, sailors relied on a hand-thrown harpoon to secure their catch in the dangerous whaling industry."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for harpoon

• verb

1

To strike, catch, or kill a large marine animal using a barbed spear attached to a rope.

Example

"The crew managed to harpoon the massive shark before it could capsize their small wooden boat."

Synonyms
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• Rhymes for harpoon

• Nearby Words

harp
harper
harpist
harpoon
harpooner
harpsichord
harpsichordist

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the 17th-century French word 'harpon', originating from 'harpe' (a dog's claw or clamp), possibly tracing back to Latin 'harpa' (hook) or a Germanic source related to grappling.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Harpoon. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/harpoon
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