Harpy

American  

[hahr-pee] / ˈhɑr pi /

noun

plural

Harpies

1. Classical Mythology. a ravenous, filthy monster having a woman's head and a bird's body.

2. (lowercase) a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; shrew.

3. (lowercase) a greedy, predatory person.

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Harpy ¹ British  

/ ˈhɑːpɪ /

noun

1. Greek myth a ravenous creature with a woman's head and trunk and a bird's wings and claws

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harpy ² British  

/ ˈhɑːpɪ /

noun

1. a cruel grasping woman

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Other Word Forms

• harpylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of Harpy

< Latin Harpȳia, singular of Harpȳiae < Greek Hárpȳiai (plural), literally, snatchers, akin to harpázein to snatch away

Example Sentences

Harpy eagles were once widespread throughout southern Mexico and Central and South America, but tree cutting and burning has dramatically shrunk their range.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2021

The Harpy looks like a cross between a missile and a fixed-wing drone, and is fired from the ground into a target area where it can linger for up to nine hours.

From The Verge • Jun. 3, 2021

Harpy birthday: On Dec. 8, wish it on Ann Coulter.

From Washington Post • Jul. 26, 2018

Those weapons aren’t fully autonomous, but the Israeli Harpy is.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2018

“Why do you care so much for Hizdahr, old man? If he is not the Harpy, he is the Harpy’s firstborn son.”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin