sphinx Hear it!

sphinx Definition

sphinx (sfiŋks)

noun pl. sphinx′es or sphin′·ges′sfin′jēz′

  1. Gr. Myth.
    1. a winged monster with a lion's body and the head and breasts of a woman
    2. a sphinx at Thebes that strangles passersby who are unable to guess its riddle
    1. any ancient Egyptian statue or figure having, typically, the body of a lion and the head of a man, ram, or hawk
    2. a huge statue having the body of a lion and the head of a man, at Gîza, near Cairo, Egypt
  3. a person who is difficult to know or understand
  4. Zool. hawk moth

Etymology: ME spynx < L sphinx < Gr, lit., the strangler < sphingein: see sphincter

sphinx Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • see: First to Giza, where youâll stand in wonder at the huge Pyramids and see the enigmatic Sphinx.
  • have: We got the idea of having a sphinx like cat on the cover from Chris's cat.
  • resemble: These winged creatures, probably winged lions with human faces, resembling the sphinx, formed a chair on which Yahweh was invisibly enthroned.
  • do: Does the Sphinx really have the body of a lion?

Converse of subject

  • flank: Ducrow's tomb is rather special and shaped like an Egyptian temple, flanked by four sphinxes.

Adjective modifier

  • Egyptian: The shape and size of those hills resemble what one might expect for eroded remnants of structures the shape of the Egyptian Sphinx.
  • great: The Great Sphinx dated to within a few years of 2500 BC.
  • enigmatic: First to Giza, where youâll stand in wonder at the huge Pyramids and see the enigmatic Sphinx.
  • giant: Beside the great pyramids at Giza stands a giant sphinx ( a lion's body with a man's head ).
  • famous: The most famous Sphinx is the Great Sphinx at Giza.
  • ram-headed: This includes an impressive avenue of ram-headed sphinxes and is oriented to the summer solstice at sunset.

Modifies a noun

  • moth: The Service is currently funding research examining the life history, captive rearing, and conservation biology of the sphinx moth.
  • statue: A new voice starts to speak from various sphinx statues.

Noun used with modifier

  • stone: A stone sphinx comes to life to wreak revenge upon a temple defiler.

Possessives

  • riddle: It was also his rationality that allowed him to solve the Sphinx's riddle resulting in his marriage with his mother Jocasta.
  • face: He set a curse to put the peasant with the priest, and lash the Sphinx's face with sand.