Harpy
[hahr-pee]
noun, plural Har·pies.
Classical Mythology. a ravenous, filthy monster having a woman's head and a bird's body.
(lowercase) a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; shrew.
(lowercase) a greedy, predatory person.
Origin of Harpy
< Latin Harpȳia, singular of Harpȳiae < Greek Hárpȳiai (plural), literally, snatchers, akin to harpázein to snatch away
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for harpy
Historical Examples of harpy
Madame Beattie was a familiar name to them, but they had never heard she was a harpy.
The PrisonerAlice Brown
It was also the day of the man behind the bar, of the gambler, of the harpy.
The Trail of '98Robert W. Service
“Harpy it might have been, but happy it was not,” he answered with a groan.
The Three CommandersW.H.G. Kingston
Their hands, when they possessed them, were like harpy claws.
The House of PrideJack London
One is bound to be courteous to a lady, even though that lady be a harpy.
The Struggles of Brown, Jones, and RobinsonAnthony Trollope
harpy
noun plural -pies
Word Origin for harpy
C16: from Latin Harpyia, from Greek Harpuiai the Harpies, literally: snatchers, from harpazein to seize
Harpy
noun plural -pies
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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