Advertisement

Advertisement

griffe

1

[ grif ]

noun

, Chiefly Louisiana.
  1. the offspring of a Black person and a mulatto.
  2. a person of mixed Black and American Indian ancestry.
  3. a mulatto, especially a woman.


griffe

2

[ grif ]

noun

, Architecture.
  1. an ornament at the base of a column, projecting from the torus toward a corner of the plinth.

griffe

/ ɡrɪf /

noun

  1. architect a carved ornament at the base of a column, often in the form of a claw
“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
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of griffe1

An Americanism first recorded in 1715–25; from Louisiana French, from Caribbean Spanish grifo “curly-haired”

Origin of griffe2

1870–75; < French: claw < Germanic
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of griffe1

C19: from French: claw, of Germanic origin
Discover More

Example Sentences

The city had a unique, convoluted race and color taxonomy that included the designations of free person of color, slave, mulatto, griffe, quadroon, metis and sang-mêlé.

It was the smell of luxurious soap, ferried back from a European cruise by a grandmother, setting in motion a lifelong obsession with Carven’s Ma Griffe, Chanel No. 5, and her very first scent, acquired at age 6: Lanvin’s Arpege.

Cartoonist Lesco Griffe posted this illustration bearing the famous British motto, while novelist Tony Parsons was among those who posted this "quote of the day" sign from a London Tube station.

From BBC

On his bill of sale, it says that he is a griffe, a person of African and Native American descent.

A well-known sapeur, Papa Griffe, says Mama Clementine is the doyenne of sapeuses.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement