angon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low (archaic/historical term)Academic/Historical
Quick answer
What does “angon” mean?
A type of javelin or throwing spear used by the Franks and other early medieval Germanic peoples.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of javelin or throwing spear used by the Franks and other early medieval Germanic peoples.
Historically, a specific weapon characterized by a long iron shank, sometimes with barbs, designed for penetration and to be difficult to remove from a shield or wound.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference; term is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Scholarly, technical, historical.
Frequency
Extremely rare. Would be unknown to the general public.
Grammar
How to Use “angon” in a Sentence
The warrior threw the angon.The angon was a common weapon.Archaeologists discovered an angon.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “angon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The re-enactor expertly angoned the target from twenty paces.
- He attempted to angon the shield wall.
American English
- The historian described how a warrior would angon his foe.
- They practiced angoning as part of the demonstration.
adverb
British English
- The spear flew angon-like through the air.
- He struck angon-fashion, pinning the shield.
American English
- The weapon was thrown angon-style, with a heavy rotation.
- It lodged itself angon-deep in the oak plank.
adjective
British English
- The angon point was recovered from the burial site.
- He studied angon warfare techniques.
American English
- The museum displayed an angon head behind glass.
- Angon technology influenced later spear designs.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in history, archaeology, and medieval studies texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Used in precise descriptions of early medieval military equipment.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “angon”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “angon”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “angon”
- Pronouncing it as 'an-gone' (should be 'ang-gon').
- Using it in a modern context.
- Confusing it with 'anchor'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, unless you are a historian, archaeologist, or passionate re-enactor specializing in the Early Middle Ages. It is not part of modern active vocabulary.
It is of Frankish (Old Germanic) origin, related to Old English 'anga' meaning 'thorn' or 'sting', referencing its barbed point.
No. It refers specifically to a historical Frankish weapon. Using it for a modern sport javelin or a general spear would be incorrect and confusing.
The Roman pilum and the Frankish angon are functionally similar: both are heavy javelins designed to pierce shields and bend/be hard to remove. The angon is a later, Germanic development, often with a different head shape and barb configuration.
A type of javelin or throwing spear used by the Franks and other early medieval Germanic peoples.
Angon is usually academic/historical in register.
Angon: in British English it is pronounced /ˈaŋɡɒn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈæŋɡɑːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None (term is too specific)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an ANcient GONdola warrior throwing a long spear – AN-GON.
Conceptual Metaphor
Not applicable due to extreme rarity.
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary tactical purpose of the angon?