For other types of horns, see horn (disambiguation).

In telecommunications, the term horn has the following meanings:

• In radio transmission, an open-ended waveguide, of increasing cross-sectional area, which radiates directly in a desired direction or feeds a reflector that forms a desired beam.
  • Note 1: Horns may have one or more expansion curves, i.e., longitudinal cross sections, such as elliptical, conical, hyperbolic, or parabolic curves, and not necessarily the same expansion curve in each (E-plane and H-plane) cross section.
  • Note 2: A very wide range of beam patterns may be formed by controlling horn dimensions and shapes, placement of the reflector, and reflector shape and dimensions.
• A portion of a waveguide in which the cross section is smoothly increased along the axial direction.
• In audio systems, a tube, usually having a rectangular transverse cross section and a linearly or exponentially increasing cross-sectional area, used for radiating or receiving acoustic waves. (Source: from Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188). These devices perform a mechanical impedance matching for acoustic energy.