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Definition of yellow horn
yellow horn
Plural:yellow horns
yellow horn Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A deciduous shrub or small tree native to northern China, characterized by pinnate, fern-like leaves and striking clusters of white flowers featuring distinct horn-like appendages that change from yellow to red as they mature.
Example
"The gardener planted a yellow horn in the center of the courtyard, anticipating the spectacular white blossoms it would produce in late spring."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The common name is a direct translation of its scientific genus name, Xanthoceras (from Greek 'xanthos' meaning yellow, and 'keras' meaning horn), referring to the prominent horn-like yellow appendages found between the petals of its flowers.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Yellow horn. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/yellow horn