jednorożec
/jɛd.nɔˈrɔ.ʐɛt͡s/masculine
The Polish word for unicorn is jednorożec.
jednorożec is a masculine noun used to refer to the mythical, horse-like creature.
Meaning: mythical horselike creature (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of jedno-, meaning one and róg, meaning horn, so it literally means 'one-horn'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun changes from jednorożec to jednorożca when used in the genitive case. This form is required after most expressions of possession or quantity.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The IPA is /jɛd.nɔˈrɔ.ʐɛts/.
Did you know?
- In Polish folklore and older texts, the jednorożec was sometimes conflated with the narwhal, leading to the trade of 'unicorn horns' in historical Poland.
- The word róg is a homonym for 'corner', meaning if you are looking for the 'corner' of a square, you are technically looking for a 'horn' in a literal linguistic sense.
- Unlike English where 'unicorn' comes from Latin and Greek, jednorożec is built entirely from native Slavic components.
Examples in context
- W bajkach dla dzieci często występuje jednorożec.In children's fairy tales, a unicorn often appears.
- Jednorożec jest symbolem czystości.A unicorn is a symbol of purity.
- Dziecko wierzy, że jednorożec istnieje.The child believes that a unicorn exists.
- W tej bajce występuje biały jednorożec.A white unicorn appears in this fairy tale.
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Paweł are looking at a children's book.
- KatarzynaPopatrz, ten jednorożec jest różowy!Look, this unicorn is pink!
- PawełTo bardzo ładny rysunek.That is a very pretty drawing.
- KatarzynaCzy wierzysz, że jednorożec istnieje?Do you believe that the unicorn exists?
- PawełNiestety nie, to tylko bajka.Unfortunately no, it is just a fairy tale.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unicorn” translations and entries jednorożec, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
