inkhorn Definition
- 1a small portable container for ink
- 2a person who uses ostentatiously or needlessly formal language
Using inkhorn: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "inkhorn" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He carried an inkhorn and a quill pen in his pocket.
Example
The writer was criticized for being an inkhorn who used too many big words.
Example
The inkhorn was made of brass and had a hinged lid.
inkhorn Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with inkhorn
Example
The professor's lecture was full of inkhorn terms that no one could understand.
a dispute over the use of archaic or obscure words in writing or speech
Example
The inkhorn controversy of the 16th century was a debate over the use of Latin and Greek loanwords in English.
Example
The inkhorn brigade at the office always uses long words and complicated phrases.
Origins of inkhorn
from Middle English 'inkhorne', meaning 'inkwell'
Summary: inkhorn in Brief
'Inkhorn' [ˈɪŋkhɔːn] refers to a small portable container for ink or a person who uses unnecessarily formal language. It can be used in phrases like 'inkhorn term,' which denotes obscure or pedantic language, and 'inkhorn controversy,' which refers to a dispute over the use of archaic or obscure words. An example sentence is 'The writer was criticized for being an inkhorn who used too many big words.'
