longhorn
UK[ˈlɒŋhɔːn]US[ˈlɔːŋhɔːrn]
n
a breed of cattle with very long horns.
n
a type of software or technology, especially an operating system, developed by a specific company (often used as a proper noun, e.g., Windows Longhorn).
Morpheme Breakdown
long
horn
long
length
horn
body part
Etymology
the word 'longhorn' is a transparent english compound, formed from the adjective 'long' and the noun 'horn'. it directly and literally describes the primary physical characteristic of the cattle breed: its extended, curved horns. this breed, originating in the iberian peninsula and later developed in the americas, was named for this distinctive and functionally significant trait. the term was later adopted in computing as a codename, metaphorically extending the idea of a distinctive, prominent feature to a software project.
Analysis
Structure: long (length) + horn (body part)
'long' from old english 'lang, long', meaning having great linear extent. 'horn' from old english 'horn', meaning a hard, permanent projection on the head of certain animals.
Examples
the texas longhorn is an iconic symbol of the american west.
ranchers once drove herds of longhorn cattle along the chisholm trail.
the longhorn project eventually evolved into the windows vista operating system.