Quote Originally Posted by Kd7sov View Post
Did you know that the word "print" originally meant "impression"? From the Latin premere, "to press". I doubt your quantum computer's printer does any kind of pressing.
Yes, it does - fires supersonic dots of ink or lasers on page, leaving impressions. Not to mention impact printers I grew with

Also, my point was printer not does computing, nor wheel flying, exactly like winged unicorns defining trait being wings, not horn.

Besides, given that "alicorn" generally refers to the horn, why can't the Equestrian entemology refer to the fact that the Princesses have larger and more powerful/magical horns?
Would you call humans 'fingers'?

Their defining trait is not only not horn, but wings, but also their horns are not that special - Blueblood, IIRC, has horn longer than both Cadance and Luna, only slightly smaller than Celestia itself.

Also, if by first adopters, Trixie, do you mean Piers Antony in 1984...? A cursory wiki examination shows that "alicorn" has been used - as a nonstandard usage, granted - to refer to winged unicorns in more than one work of literature in the last thirty years, well before bronies, so really all pony has done as popularise it.
I actually read that book - and in it, it's off hand term used in obscure magic setting that evolved independently from modern earth and where language difference is big plot point through the series. Seeing MLP uses modern English vocabulary, it IMHO makes as much sense as calling unicorns 'Jedi' because they can do telekinesis and mind tricks too.

And unlike the other (ugly-looking and sounding) portmandeaus of unicorn and pegasus, alicorn is at least a real word. (And alicorn's usage in this context predates them too.)
Yes. It's a real word that in alchemical context means unicorn horn cut/powdered and for sale. Unless we assume ponies have no problems with doing so (after all, Rarity filed hers...) it brings as much unfortunate implications to pony mind as calling someone's backside sirloin steak.