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Glite Dictionary
powder horn

powder horn

1 9.9
A hollow animal horn for carrying gunpowder in the past
  • noun
  • /ˈpaʊdər hɔrn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : cuerno de pólvora
  • The collector proudly displayed his antique powder horn on the mantle.
  • pouch and powder horn
  • powder horn and hunting bag
  • checked his powder horn

So the gunpowder is in this nice powder horn.

Examples

  • He filled his powder horn with gunpowder before heading out to hunt.

  • Uncas, all business, is now reloading, lifting powder horns, scanning the trees.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Patch handed the powder horn back to Morgan.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • "Let's take a look at that powder horn you got there." "That's my medicine horn," said Morgan, making no move to hand it over.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Nathaniel grabbed his rifle, checked his powder horn.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • His powder horn rattled as he brought it to the muzzle.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The gun captain then added powder from his powder horn to the vent and priming pan.

  • The hairs on the back of his neck stiffened, and he brought his powder horn to his mouth, bit the stopper, and pulled it free of the spout.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Silas' flintlock rifle, his possibles bag, powder horns, tomahawks, and extra knives in beautiful quilled scabbards lay on a platform.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • She carefully polished the old powder horn that had been passed down through generations.

Synonyms

powder flask
vspowder horn
  • Archaic
9.9

A small container for carrying gunpowder, often made from an animal horn

is the same but specifically made from a hollow animal horn

How Big

powder magazine
  • Specialized
1 8.4
powder keg
  • Archaic
1 7.7
powder horn
  • Archaic
1 9.9
powder flask
  • Archaic
9.9

Surface Forms

powder horn singular
powder horns plural

Morphology

powder + horn

The meaning 'a horn used to carry gunpowder' is directly and compositionally derived from 'powder' (gunpowder) + 'horn' (animal horn) as a straightforward noun–noun compound. This compounding pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's basic meaning (though historical or material specifics might need minor explanation).

Etymology

Powder horn comes from a simple tool used long ago: people used a hollow animal horn to hold 'gunpowder', so the name joins powder and horn. Hunters and soldiers carried the horn on a strap, so powder horn now means a small 'container' made from a horn for carrying powder.