Corno

Corno is the Italian word for horn, derived from the Latin cornu. In everyday language it denotes a horn or horn-shaped projection, such as the keratinous horn of an animal or a curved protuberance on an object. The term also appears in heraldry and in descriptions of architectural or geographic forms that resemble a horn.

In music, corno refers to the horn instrument. Italian scores label parts for corno, and composers may specify transpositions such as corno in F or corno in E-flat. The corno, commonly known in English as the French horn, plays a prominent role in orchestral and chamber music and is valued for its wide expressive range and unique timbre.

Corno is also found in toponymy in Italian-speaking regions, where it is used in geographic names to describe horn-shaped landforms or peaks. As a toponym component, it often indicates a prominence in the landscape and appears in various local place names in the Alps and other areas.

As a surname, Corno exists in Italy and among communities of Italian descent. It is most common in northern regions and among descendants of emigrants who carried the name abroad. Like many Italian surnames, it can arise from descriptive, occupational, or geographic origins and may be found across different countries today.