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

He was arrested on March 5 for pointing a harpoon at his domestic partner and for possession of drugs, according to police. —Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 8 Mar. 2025

After trying to convince the disgruntled clerk to take it off his hands, the monkey bangs its drum, causing a harpoon gun on display to impale the clerk and rip out his entrails. —Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025

Technologies are also being developed to actively remove existing large debris from orbit using innovative solutions like capture nets and harpoons. —David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024

Scientists have also drawn on historical evidence—the harpoon tips embedded in the animals’ blubber. —Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 20 Dec. 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

Rhymes for harpoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• immune
• impugn
• jejune

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