Definition

Noun: 1. A mythical creature: An imaginary animal typically depicted as a white horse with a single, long, spiraled horn projecting from the center of its forehead. It is a common figure in folklore and heraldry, often symbolizing purity, grace, and rarity. 2. A heraldic representation: A creature with the body of a horse, the tail of a lion, and a single horn, used as a charge in coats of arms. 3. Something rare and highly desirable: In modern business contexts, a privately held startup company valued at over one billion dollars, due to its perceived rarity and mythical status.

Usage and Examples

• Mythological Context:
  • The tapestry depicted a beautiful unicorn in an enchanted forest.
  • Legends say only a pure-hearted maiden can approach a unicorn.
• Heraldic/Symbolic Context:
  • The royal crest featured a golden unicorn rampant.
  • The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.
• Modern Business Context:
  • The tech startup became a unicorn after its latest funding round.
  • Investors are always searching for the next potential unicorn.

Advanced Usage

• "Chasing unicorns": Pursuing something that is idealized, perfect, and likely unattainable.
  • His plan for a completely flawless product was like chasing unicorns.
• "Unicorn status": The condition of being a billion-dollar startup.
  • The company achieved unicorn status in record time.

Variants and Related Words

• Unicorn-like (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a unicorn.
  • The creature had a unicorn-like horn.
• Unicorn fish (n): A type of tropical fish with a horn-like projection on its forehead.
• Unicorn whale (n): An archaic name for the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraled tusk.

Synonyms

• Mythical beast: For the legendary creature.
• Rarity: For something exceedingly rare or unique.
• Billion-dollar startup: Specifically for the business term.

Related Phrases

• "A unicorn in the wild": Used in business to describe spotting or discovering a rare, highly successful startup.
  • Finding a profitable unicorn in the wild is every venture capitalist's dream.
• "Unicorn hunter": In business, an investor seeking to fund billion-dollar startups. In other contexts, it can refer to someone seeking a rare or ideal partner.
  • The firm is known as a prolific unicorn hunter.

Noun

1. an imaginary creature represented as a white horse with a long horn growing from its forehead