unicorn

unicorn — noun

IPA/ˈjuːnɪkɔːn/
KK[jˈunɪkˌɔrn]IPA/ˈjuːnɪkɔːrn/
  • unicornsingular
  • unicornsplural

1. a legendary white animal that looks like a horse and has one pointed horn on its

1.nounB1
Definition

a legendary white animal that looks like a horse and has one pointed horn on its forehead, often drawn with a long mane and tail

Example

The child drew a unicorn with a sparkling golden horn and a long flowing tail.

typical collocations: golden horn / flowing tail

In old tales, a unicorn lives in an enchanted forest safe from hunters.

Common collocations
  • silver horn
  • white mane
  • enchanted forest
  • mythical unicorn
  • legendary unicorn
Synonyms
  • mythical creature

    broader term covering all legendary beasts, not specific to a horse-like animal with a horn

  • magical horse

    emphasises the equine appearance and magical quality; less precise

Common Mistakes

The zoo has a new unicorn from Africa.
The zoo has a new rhinoceros from Africa.
unicorns are mythical creatures, not real animals.

2. a young company, especially in the technology sector, that has been given a valu

2.nounB2
Definition

a young company, especially in the technology sector, that has been given a value of more than one billion dollars by investors

Example

The software startup reached unicorn status after its third round of funding from investors.

collocation: reach unicorn status

Ayesha joined the firm before it became a unicorn, so her shares grew valuable.

verb pattern: became a unicorn

Common collocations
  • unicorn status
  • become a unicorn
  • unicorn startup
  • next unicorn
  • billion-dollar unicorn
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

become a unicorn

reach unicorn status

Usage Note

Common in business journalism and technology news. The term was coined around 2013 by venture capitalist Aileen Lee to stress how rare billion-dollar startups are. Frequently appears in the phrase 'unicorn status' or in the modifier position (e.g. 'a unicorn startup').

Common Mistakes

Our café made a million dollars, so we are a unicorn.
Our tech startup was valued at over a billion dollars, so we are a unicorn.
the term specifically requires a valuation above one billion dollars, not just any success.

3. a person or thing that is exceptionally unusual and extremely hard to discover,

3.nounB2
Definition

a person or thing that is exceptionally unusual and extremely hard to discover, even though many people are looking for one

Example

A truly honest politician is something of a unicorn in any country.

figurative use: something of a unicorn

The first-edition comic book was a unicorn among collectors — only five copies exist.

structure: a unicorn among [group]

Common collocations
  • something of a unicorn
  • a unicorn among
  • the unicorn of
Synonyms
  • rarity

    neutral term; lacks the colourful, slightly playful tone of 'unicorn'

  • needle in a haystack

    idiom with similar meaning; more informal and vivid

Antonyms
  • dime a dozen

    idiom describing something very common and easy to find

Grammar Patterns

something of a unicorn

a unicorn among [group]

Usage Note

Typically used in informal or figurative contexts. Carries a tone of mild exaggeration — the speaker is comparing something rare to a mythical creature for effect. Often appears in the phrase 'something of a unicorn' or 'a unicorn among [plural noun]'. Distinguish from sense 2 (VALUED STARTUP), which is a specific business use — this sense applies to any rare person, object, or situation.

Common Mistakes

Rain in the desert is a unicorn phenomenon.
Rain in the desert is a rare phenomenon.
'unicorn' as an adjective describing a noun (like 'unicorn phenomenon') is non-standard; use 'unicorn' as a predicate noun or as part of 'something of a unicorn'.

unicorn — adjective

IPA/ˈjuː.nɪ.kɔːn/
KK[jˈunɪkˌɔrn]IPA/ˈjuː.nɪ.kɔːrn/

Word family

  • unicorn-like
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A unicorn is a specific kind of mythical creature — a white horse with a single horn. The term 'mythical creature' is far broader, covering dragons, griffins, centaurs, and many others. A 'pegasus' is another horse-like mythical creature, but it has wings instead of a horn. While all three refer to imaginary beings, 'unicorn' is the only one that suggests a single horn and is often associated with purity, magic, and rarity in modern culture. For example: 'The little girl dressed as a unicorn for Halloween, with a glittery horn on her head.' — you would not say 'pegasus' here because there are no wings. Similarly: 'The story described a pegasus soaring above the clouds.' — here 'unicorn' would be wrong because a flying horse with no horn is a pegasus, not a unicorn.

unicorn ↗mythical creaturepegasusmythical horse

Common collocations

Nouns

  • unicorn startup
  • unicorn status
  • unicorn theme
  • unicorn cake
  • unicorn colour scheme

Phrases

  • something of a unicorn
  • a unicorn among
  • reach unicorn status
  • become a unicorn

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'unicorn' comes from the Latin 'ūnicornis', which means 'one-horned' (ūnus 'one' + cornū 'horn'). The ancient Greeks wrote about a one-horned animal they called 'monokerōs', and the idea of a horse-like creature with a single horn eventually became popular in medieval European stories and tapestries. For centuries, 'unicorn' referred only to this mythical animal. Then, around 2013, the business meaning appeared — venture capitalist Aileen Lee used 'unicorn' to describe the extreme rarity of billion-dollar tech startups, drawing a direct comparison to the legendary creature. The adjective sense (a multicolour decorating style) emerged in the late 2010s as 'unicorn'-themed food and fashion became a social-media trend.