Houyhnhnm

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word Houyhnhnm. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word Houyhnhnm, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say Houyhnhnm in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word Houyhnhnm you have here. The definition of the word Houyhnhnm will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofHouyhnhnm, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

Coined by Jonathan Swift in Gulliver's Travels as a humorous, onomatopoeic play on the sound made by horses.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /huˈɪn.əm/, /ˈhwɪn.əm/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

Houyhnhnm (plural Houyhnhnms)

  1. (fiction) One of a fictional race of exceptionally civilized creatures, who look exactly like horses, inhabiting the same land as the brutish Yahoos.
    • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Veracity. His Design in Publishing this Work. ”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. , volume II, London: Benj Motte, , →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), pages 340–341:
      I retain in my Mind the Lectures and Example of my noble Maſter and the other illuſtrious Houyhnhnms of whom I had ſo long the Honour to be an humble Hearer.
    • 1878, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 7, in Under the Lilacs:
      "The Squire says you know a good deal about horses, so I suppose you understand the Houyhnhnm language? I'm learning it, and it is very nice," laughed Miss Celia, as Chevalita gave a little whinny and snuffled her nose into Ben's pocket.
    • 1995 February 19, Marilyn Stasio, “What to Read: Crime”, in New York Times‎, retrieved March 3, 2021:
      ”The moment he called me his ‘gentle and reasonable Houyhnhnm,’” an archivist notes, “I should have known that the man was deranged.”
    • 2014 January 28, Will Self, “John Gray: Forget everything you know”, in Independent‎, retrieved March 3, 2021:
      Certainly the philosopher was not a pessimistic luncheon companion. He […] loped off in the direction of the London Library, leaving me with an impression of twinkling eyes, laughter lines (he whinnies like a donnish Houyhnhnm), and a sensibility genuinely focused on what will happen in the next five minutes - or five years - albeit one steeped in knowledge of the past.

Usage notes

  • For convenience in spelling and reading, sometimes rendered as "Whinnim" or "Whinnem".

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia