griffon
1 Americannoun
noun
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any of several varieties of the Brussels griffon differing from each other in coloration or in the texture of the coat.
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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.
noun
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any of various small wire-haired breeds of dog, originally from Belgium
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any large vulture of the genus Gyps, of Africa, S Europe, and SW Asia, having a pale plumage with black wings: family Accipitridae (hawks)
noun
Etymology
Origin of griffon1
1350–1400; Middle English griffoun < French; see griffin 1
Origin of griffon2
1820–30; < French; akin to griffin 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A weirdo dog lets you “show your individuality,” said Terence Nelson, 38, an influencer marketing strategist in New York whose fuzzy Brussels griffon, Sue, is a dead ringer for an Ewok.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
A further 15 griffon vultures will be brought over from Spain and released to the wild next year.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 29, 2023
Buddy Holly, a petit basset griffon Vendéen, took the top prize at the Westminster Dog Show.
From New York Times ● May 10, 2023
Bird species such as barnacle geese, griffon vultures, great white egrets and Dalmatian pelicans are also recovering well.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2022
Adjacent is a figure, half griffon, half chimera, the Beast of Amenti, perhaps too of the Apocalypse.
From The Lords of the Ghostland A History of the Ideal by Edgar Saltus
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
