javelin
/ˈd͡ʒæv.(ə.)lɪn/noun, verb
javelin is spelled J-A-V-E-L-I-N: 7 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, javelin means “A light spear thrown with the hand and used as a weapon” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of javelin is javelins.
How many letters and syllables are in javelin?
| Letters | 7: J-A-V-E-L-I-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 32,798th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is javelin?
Javelin appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,798th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce javelin?
- /ˈd͡ʒæv.(ə.)lɪn/
Javelin has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-javelin.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of javelin
- javelins plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- javelining participle, present
- javelinning participle, present
- javelined participle, past
- javelinned participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does javelin mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A light spear thrown with the hand and used as a weapon.
- 2
A metal-tipped spear thrown for distance in an athletic field event.
I managed to medal in the javelin throw.
- 3
A javelinfish (Coelorinchus australis).
verb
- 1
To pierce with a javelin.
- 2
To throw like a javelin.
- 3
To fall like a javelin.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate javelin?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of javelin: jav.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Javelin in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense spear used as a weapon:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does javelin come from?
From Middle English chafeveleyn, gavelong, from Old French javelline, diminutive of javelot, diminutive of *javel, from Vulgar Latin *gabalus, from Gaulish gabulum (compare Old Irish gabul (“fork”), Welsh gafl), from Proto-Celtic *gablā (“fork, forked branch”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ-. The Old French term was also borrowed into Middle Low German as gaveline, and into Middle High German as gabilot. Cognate with gavelock, gaffle.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).