1. The antler of a male deer, historically used as a source of ammonia or as a decorative object.
Usage: archaic; historical
2. Ammonia or a solution of ammonia, formerly obtained by burning deer antlers and used as a smelling salt or cleaning agent.
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• In medieval times, hartshorn was prized as both a hunting trophy and a source of medicinal compounds.
• The lady kept a bottle of hartshorn salts in her purse to revive herself if she felt faint.
• Hartshorn was commonly used in 18th-century households as a cleaning agent for delicate fabrics.
• The apothecary prepared hartshorn solution for patients suffering from respiratory complaints.
• Decorative hartshorn pieces were displayed in wealthy homes as symbols of the hunt.