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definitions

griffin

1
[grif-in]
See more synonyms for griffin on Thesaurus.com
noun Classical Mythology.
  1. a fabled monster, usually having the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.
Also griffon, gryph·on [grif-uh n] /ˈgrɪf ən/.

Origin of griffin

1
1300–50; Middle English griffoun < Middle French grifon < Latin grȳphus < Greek grȳp- (stem of grȳ́ps) curled, curved, having a hooked nose
Related formsgrif·fin·esque, adjective

griffin

2
[grif-in]
noun
  1. (in India and the East) a newcomer, especially a white person from a Western country.

Origin of griffin

2
First recorded in 1785–95; origin uncertain
Related formsgrif·fin·age, grif·fin·hood, grif·fin·ism, noungrif·fin·ish, adjective

Griffin

[grif-in]
noun
  1. a city in W Georgia.
  2. a male given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for griffin

cougar, wildcat, cat, puma, griffin, lioness, leo, simba

Examples from the Web for griffin

Contemporary Examples of griffin

Historical Examples of griffin

  • The griffin was itself a compound creature, half lion and half eagle.

  • If I should have a wire that Mr. Griffin was worse it might be shorter still.

    Cap'n Dan's Daughter

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • You know our junior partner, Mr. Griffin, has been very ill—I wrote you that.

    Cap'n Dan's Daughter

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • "I'm busy, Griffin," she began, and then broke off as she saw the girls.

    Miss Pat at School

    Pemberton Ginther

  • "I think it more likely that it was Griffin herself," said Elinor with spirit.

    Miss Pat at School

    Pemberton Ginther

British Dictionary definitions for griffin

griffin

1

griffon or gryphon

noun
  1. a winged monster with an eagle-like head and the body of a lion

Word Origin for griffin

C14: from Old French grifon, from Latin grӯphus, from Greek grups, from grupos hooked

griffin

2
noun
  1. a newcomer to the Orient, esp one from W Europe

Word Origin for griffin

C18: of unknown origin
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
Word Origin and History for griffin
n.

c.1200 (as a surname), from Old French grifon "a bird of prey," also "fabulous bird of Greek mythology" (with head and wings of an eagle, body and hind quarters of a lion, believed to inhabit Scythia and guard its gold), from Late Latin gryphus, misspelling of grypus, variant of gryps (genitive grypos), from Greek gryps (genitive grypos) "curved, hook-nosed," in reference to its beak.

Klein suggests a Semitic source, "through the medium of the Hittites," and cites Hebrew kerubh "a winged angel," Akkad. karibu, epithet of the bull-colossus (see cherub). The same or an identical word was used, with uncertain connections, in mid-19c. Louisiana to mean "mulatto" (especially one one-quarter or two-fifths white) and in India from late 18c. to mean "newly arrived European."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper