motor horn
- noun
- /ˈmoʊtər hɔrn/
:
claxon
- He pressed the motor horn to alert the cyclist ahead.
Examples
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The motor horn blared loudly as the car approached.
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The sound of the motor horn startled the pedestrians crossing the street.
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Every car must be equipped with a motor horn for safety reasons.
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Don't forget to check the motor horn before driving.
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He pressed the motor horn to alert the cyclist ahead.
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Every car must be equipped with a motor horn for safety reasons.
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The sound of the motor horn startled the pedestrians crossing the street.
Synonyms
183
1.0
A device that makes a loud sound to warn or signal people
6
1.1
A loud sound a driver makes to warn others or get attention
3
8.5
A loud electric horn used as a warning, often on vehicles
1
6.2
A part of a vehicle that makes a loud sound to warn people
1
3.0
A loud horn that uses compressed air to make a strong sound on trucks or ships
1
2.1
A device on a car that makes a loud sound to warn people
1
9.3
A loud electric horn used on older cars
How Loud
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'motor' (a device producing motion) + 'horn' (a warning device) clearly denotes a horn fitted to a motor/vehicle. This straightforward noun–noun compound follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Motor horn comes from early motor vehicles where the horn was a real animal horn or a rubber bulb people squeezed to make a loud 'honk'. That's why motor horn means the device on a vehicle that makes a loud sound to 'warn' or 'alert' others.