griffon

1
[ grif-uhn ]

noun
  1. a vulture of the genus Gyps, especially G. fulvus, of southern Europe.

Origin of griffon

1
1350–1400; Middle English griffoun<French; see griffin1

Words Nearby griffon

Other definitions for griffon (2 of 2)

griffon2
[ grif-uhn ]

noun
  1. any of several varieties of the Brussels griffon differing from each other in coloration or in the texture of the coat.: Compare Belgian griffon, Brabançon, Brussels griffon.

  2. Also called wirehaired pointing griffon. one of a Dutch breed of medium-sized dogs having a coarse, steel-gray or grayish-white coat with chestnut markings, used for pointing and retrieving birds.

Origin of griffon

2
1820–30; <French; akin to griffin1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use griffon in a sentence

  • His Majesty brought with him his little griffon dog, and immediately on arriving he asked for port wine and sandwiches.

British Dictionary definitions for griffon (1 of 2)

griffon1

/ (ˈɡrɪfən) /


noun
  1. any of various small wire-haired breeds of dog, originally from Belgium

  2. any large vulture of the genus Gyps, of Africa, S Europe, and SW Asia, having a pale plumage with black wings: family Accipitridae (hawks)

Origin of griffon

1
C19: from French: griffin 1

British Dictionary definitions for griffon (2 of 2)

griffon2

/ (ˈɡrɪfən) /


noun
  1. a variant of griffin 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012