noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɪŋkˌhɔːn/
General-American:/ˈɪŋkˌhɔɹn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A small portable container, often made of horn, used to carry ink.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Something or someone pedantic, obscurely scholarly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: attributive, derogatory
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English ynkhorn, inkehorn (“small portable vessel, originally made of horn, used to hold ink”), equivalent to ink + horn. Displaced Old English blæchorn, which had the same literal meaning but with the native term for "ink."
Across languages
Translations
24 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
мастилница
(mastilnica)
— small portable ink container
Chinese Mandarin:
墨水壺 /墨水壶
(mòshuǐhú)
— small portable ink container
Finnish:
mustesarvi
— small portable ink container
Galician:
tinteiro
— small portable ink container
Middle English:
ynkhorn
— small portable ink container
Old English:
blæchorn
— small portable ink container
Polish:
rożek na atrament
— small portable ink container
Portuguese:
tinteiro
— small portable ink container
Armenian:
խրթին
(xrtʻin)
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Chinese Mandarin:
文縐縐的 /文绉绉的
(wénzhōuzhōu de)
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Chinese Mandarin:
晦澀的 /晦涩的
(huìsè de)
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Finnish:
pilkunviilaaja
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
German:
gekünstelt
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
German:
konstruiert
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Italian:
pedante
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Italian:
pretenzioso
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Polish:
napuszony
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Polish:
górnolotny
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Portuguese:
presunçoso
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Portuguese:
pedante
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Russian:
педанти́чный
(pedantíčnyj)
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Russian:
мудрёный
(mudrjónyj)
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Russian:
зау́мный
(zaúmnyj)
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
Spanish:
rebuscado
— as adjective, of vocabulary: pedantic
