gryphon
5
9.9
- noun
- /ˈɡrɪfən/
- Literature
- The artist's painting of the majestic gryphon captured its eagle-like head and lion's body perfectly.
Examples
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Stacey—So, in book one of The Gryphon Series, The Conduit, you found out that because of a pact your ancestors made, you're the fabled Chosen One.
Blog text (31) -
After Ed had whistled for his gryphon Jimgar, Union flew off with Ed now following.
Blog text (9) -
A gryphon... part eagle, part lion.
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Still in Baltimore at the Verdant Gryphon open house!
Blog text (15) -
The poor, poor gryphon...
Blog text (8) -
He regards the gryphon for a long moment and chuckles.
Fiction book (1992) -
These races: ponies, gryphons, and dragons, to a lesser extent (when young at any rate), need friends.
Blog text (8) -
Mine was the sterling white stallion, and Tori had mastered a gryphon with a golden head, riding perfectly sidesaddle.
Fiction book (2002) -
In ancient mythology, the gryphon is often depicted as a guardian of treasures.
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Legends tell of travelers who were protected by a fierce gryphon during their journeys.
Synonyms
15
9.3
A creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion
2
9.9
A mythical creature with an eagle's head and wings and a lion's body
1
9.9
A creature from old stories with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word gryphon, also spelled griffin, comes from an old Greek word gryps that meant 'hooked', because of the eagle's curved beak. So a gryphon is imagined as part eagle and part lion, often shown as a fierce guardian.