ENGLISH
REFERENCE

horny

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈhɔɹni// UK //hˈɔːni// horny Slang

adj. feeling a strong desire for sex. It is a very informal word that you should only use with close friends or in casual situations.

adj. feeling or expressing strong sexual desire. Informal and often considered crude or inappropriate in professional or formal contexts.


SIMPLE

He felt horny after watching that romantic movie.

CONTEXTUAL

The couple joked about feeling horny after being apart for several weeks.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's internal monologue is often interrupted by horny impulses that contrast sharply with his otherwise serious and intellectual public persona.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

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.

Usage

Typically used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb like 'feel' or 'be'.

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