javelin

[ jav-lin, jav-uh- ]
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noun
  1. a light spear, usually thrown by hand.

  2. Track.

    • a spearlike shaft about 8½ feet (2.7 meters) long and usually made of wood, used in throwing for distance.

    • Also called javelin throw . a competitive field event in which the javelin is thrown for distance.

verb (used with object)
  1. to strike or pierce with or as if with a javelin.

Origin of javelin

1
1505–15; <Middle French javeline, by suffix alteration from javelot,Anglo-French gavelot, gaveloc, probably <Old English gafeluc, *gafeloc ≪ British Celtic *gablākos presumably, a spear with a forklike head; compare MIr gablach forked branch, javelin, MWelsh gaflach (apparently < OIr), derivative of Old Irish gabul fork, forked branch, cognate with Old Breton gabl,Welsh gafl

Words Nearby javelin

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How to use javelin in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for javelin

javelin

/ (ˈdʒævlɪn) /


noun
  1. a long pointed spear thrown as a weapon or in competitive field events

  2. the javelin the event or sport of throwing the javelin

Origin of javelin

1
C16: from Old French javeline, variant of javelot, of Celtic origin

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