/jav"lin, jav"euh-/ , n.
1. a light spear, usually thrown by hand.
2. Track.
a. a spearlike shaft about 8 1 / 2 ft. (2.7 m) long and usually made of wood, used in throwing for distance.
b. Also called javelin throw . a competitive field event in which the javelin is thrown for distance.
v.t.
3. to strike or pierce with or as if with a javelin.
[ 1505-15; javeline, by suffix alter. from javelot, AF gavelot, gaveloc, prob. gafeluc, *gafeloc gablakos presumably, a spear with a forklike head; cf. MIr gablach forked branch, javelin, MWelsh gaflach (appar. gabul fork, forked branch, c. Old Breton gabl, Welsh gafl ]