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Glite Dictionary
Little Horn

Little Horn

8.1
A river that flows from northern Wyoming into the Bighorn River in southern Montana known for Custer's Last Stand
  • proper noun
translation icon : Pequeño Cuerno
  • The Little Horn River is famous for its connection to the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Examples

  • The Little Horn River is a tributary of the Bighorn River.

  • We visited the Little Horn during our tour of Montana's historic sites.

  • The troops followed the Little Horn to reach the battlefield.

  • Have you ever visited the Little Horn?

  • The Little Horn River flows through stunning landscapes in southern Montana.

  • Many tourists visit the Little Horn to learn about its historical significance.

  • The Little Horn is renowned for its role in the events surrounding Custer's Last Stand.

Synonyms

Little Bighorn River
vsLittle Horn
6.9

A river in the western United States famous for the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn

is identical in meaning but differs only in naming form
Little Bighorn
vsLittle Horn
6.7

A river in Wyoming and Montana that flows by the 1876 battle site

is the same river but gives fuller geographic and historical detail

Surface Forms

Little Horn main

Morphology

Little + Horn

This is a fixed place name (proper noun) referring to a river; knowing the constituents 'little' (small) and 'horn' (an object or projection) yields a literal image of a 'small horn' but does not indicate 'a river'. Place-name conventions are arbitrary and idiosyncratic, so a B1 learner who only knows the parts would not reliably infer the MWE's referent, making it non-compositional for learners.

Etymology

Little Horn may come from how the river looks or from being the 'smaller' partner to the nearby Bighorn River. People saw a bend like a small horn and called it Little Horn, so the name now means that river.