sphinx

[ sfingks ]

noun

, plural sphinx·es, sphin·ges [sfin, -jeez].

1. (in ancient Egypt)
   1. a figure of an imaginary creature having the head of a man or an animal and the body of a lion.
   2. (usually initial capital letter) the colossal recumbent stone figure of this kind near the pyramids of Giza.
2. (initial capital letter) Classical Mythology. a monster, usually represented as having the head and breast of a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. Seated on a rock outside of Thebes, she proposed a riddle to travelers, killing them when they answered incorrectly, as all did before Oedipus. When he answered her riddle correctly the Sphinx killed herself.
3. any similar monster.
4. a mysterious, inscrutable person or thing, especially one given to enigmatic questions or answers.

Sphinx

¹

/ sfɪŋks /

noun

1. Greek myth a monster with a woman's head and a lion's body. She lay outside Thebes, asking travellers a riddle and killing them when they failed to answer it. Oedipus answered the riddle and the Sphinx then killed herself
2. the huge statue of a sphinx near the pyramids at El Gîza in Egypt, of which the head is a carved portrait of the fourth-dynasty Pharaoh, Chephrēn

sphinx

²

/ sfɪŋks /

noun

1. any of a number of huge stone statues built by the ancient Egyptians, having the body of a lion and the head of a man
2. an inscrutable person

Sphinx

¹

1. In the story of Oedipus , a winged monster with the head of a woman and the body of a lion. It waylaid travelers on the roads near the city of Thebes and would kill any of them who could not answer this riddle: “What creatures walk on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?” Oedipus finally gave the correct answer: human beings, who go on all fours as infants, walk upright in maturity, and in old age rely on the “third leg” of a cane.

Sphinx

²

1. A great sculpture carved from the rock near the Egyptian pyramids in about 2500 b.c. It depicts a creature from Egyptian mythology with the head of a man and the body of a lion. ( See under “Mythology and Folklore.” )

Notes

The sphinx of Greek mythology resembles the sphinx of Egyptian mythology but is distinct from it (the Egyptian sphinx had a man's head). ( See under “Fine Arts.” )

Word History and Origins

Origin of sphinx¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin < Greek sphínx, equivalent to sphing-, base of sphíngein to hold tight ( sphincter ) + -s nominative singular ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of sphinx¹

C16: via Latin from Greek, apparently from sphingein to hold fast

Example Sentences

Dulles, Moses recalls, sat as silent as a sphinx, and the meeting ended inconclusively.

From The Daily Beast

The first cat on the catwalk (sorry, we had to) was Vengeance, a 12-week-old Sphinx in an argyle sweater.

From The Daily Beast

Next out was Madeline, a one-and-a-half year old Sphinx in a frilly pink ballerina outfit.

From The Daily Beast

Sphinx cats (think Mr. Bigglesworth) are apparently more likely to tolerate clothing, as they are naturally fur-less.

From The Daily Beast

Betty smiles so rarely on Mad Men that when she does it holds special importance, akin to a sphinx letting her guard down.

From The Daily Beast

But his countenance still bore that sphinx-like expression which so often caused his friends to entertain vague suspicions.

From Project Gutenberg

By jove, just that moment—then I caught an expression—I say, do you know you would make a remarkable symbolic study of the Sphinx?

From Project Gutenberg

The rain falls, the mud deepens; the beautiful sphinx lies still, her eyes lost in the dull horizon.

From Project Gutenberg

The sphinx, which men have imagined concealing herself in the cloud, seemed to mock him with a dilemma.

From Project Gutenberg

A terrible sphinx propounding a terrible riddle; the riddle of the existence of Evil.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• conundrum
• enigma
• problem
• question
• riddle
• secrecy
• subtlety
• thriller