klaxon
The origin and history of klaxon.
Etymology
Originally a trademark, from a Greek verb meaning "to make a sharp sound." An American manufacturer registered it in the early 1900s for the loud horns fitted to early automobiles, and the name eventually became a generic word for any similar alarm.
Class of 1900
klaxon first entered the language around 1900. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1900 →