hornless

Everyday

Hornless means having no horns. tree →

In the lessons

In science and farming, some cattle, goats and sheep are naturally hornless (often called «polled»), and some are bred that way for safety. In stories and myths, a hornless unicorn would be just a horse. Common phrases: «hornless cattle», «hornless goat», «a hornless breed».

Examples

• Some breeds of cow are naturally hornless. tree →
• The farmer prefers hornless goats because they are safer. tree →
• A rhino whose horn has been cut off by rangers to protect it from poachers is left hornless for a while. tree →
• Female deer are usually hornless; we say they have no antlers. tree →
• The hornless sheep grazed quietly. tree →
• Polled cattle are hornless. tree →

Note

Built from «horn» + «-less» (without). Farmers often say «polled» for hornless. Strictly, deer have antlers, not horns, so «antlerless» is the exact word for them.