carnyx

English

WOTD – 29 July 2022

Learned borrowing from Late Latin carnyx, from Byzantine Greek κάρνυξ (kárnux, “carnyx”), from κάρνον (kárnon, “carnyx”) (both translating Galatian words into Greek), from Gaulish carno- (“horn of an animal”) (used in names), from Proto-Celtic *karnos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂- (“head, top; horn of an animal”).^[1]

Singular:
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑːnɪks/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
- (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑɹnɪks/
- Hyphenation: car‧nyx
Plural (carnyces):
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑːnɪsiːz/
- (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑɹnəˌsiz/
- Hyphenation: car‧ny‧ces

carnyx (plural carnyces or carnyxes)

(music, historical) A bronze wind instrument used by Iron Age Celts (c. 200 B.C.E. – 200 C.E.) as a type of battle trumpet; held vertically when played, it was shaped like an elongated S with a mouthpiece at the lower end and a bell (often resembling an animal with an open mouth) at the upper end.
- 2026 January 7, Esther Addley, “‘Extraordinary’ iron age war trumpet find in Britain may have Boudicca links”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN, archived from the original on 7 January 2026:
  A number of Greek and Roman writers described warrior tribes in Britain, Gaul and elsewhere sounding carnyces to terrify their enemies. […] The newly discovered carnyx shows signs of repair, said Hinman, indicating it was in use over a long period.

bronze wind instrument used by Iron Age Celts as a type of battle trumpet

carnyx n (plural carnyxe)

	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
	singular		plural
nominative-accusative	carnyx	carnyxul	carnyxe	carnyxele
genitive-dative	carnyx	carnyxului	carnyxe	carnyxelor
vocative	carnyxule		carnyxelor