horny
- 01 C1 Advanced
hard and tough, like the material of an animal's horn.
consisting of or resembling horn; having a hard, callous, or bony texture.
Simple“The lizard has a horny layer of skin that protects it from the dry desert heat.”
In context“The specimen was identified by the horny protrusions along its spine, which serve as a primary defense mechanism against larger predators.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
having horns on the head.
bearing horns or horn-like appendages.
Simple“The old stories describe a horny beast that lived deep in the forest.”
In context“Ancient myths often depict the deity as a horny figure, symbolising both wild nature and fertility.”
Synonyms
From Middle English horny, equivalent to horn + -y. Compare German hornig. Compare also Dutch hoornachtig, Swedish hornaktig, Old English hyrniġ (“angular”). Piecewise doublet of corny.
From the horn (“an erect penis”) + -y (“having the quality of”). The adjective originally meant "erect", but was later was broadened to refer not only to sexual arousal but also to sexual desire in general.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.