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.
< Latin Harpȳia, singular of Harpȳiae < Greek Hárpȳiai (plural), literally, snatchers, akin to harpázein to snatch away
A harpy is a monster from Greek mythology. A harpy has the head and upper body of a woman and the wings and lower body of a bird. In Greek mythology, harpies were creatures who were sent by Zeus during storms to do his bidding. When a person or an object went missing, the disappearance was often blamed on harpies. The word harpy comes from a Greek word meaning "snatcher." Today, the word harpy is often used as a derogatory term for a very unpleasant woman.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Its radar-killing Harpy can hover over anti-aircraft radar for up to nine hours waiting for them to power up.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 3, 2023
So is the Harpy a lethal autonomous weapons system?
From The Verge ● Jun. 3, 2021
Harpy birthday: On Dec. 8, wish it on Ann Coulter.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 26, 2018
The Harpy is designed to attack radars, not people, and no country has announced plans to build fully autonomous killing machines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2018
“If you are not the Harpy, give me his name.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
If a woman's happiness depended on her husband or boyfriend tamping down his talents, we'd all think she was an evil harpy.
From Salon ● Jan. 3, 2024
Interestingly, it was once thought that this species was related to other large forest eagles found around the world, such as the harpy eagle of South America and the crowned hawk eagle of Africa.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 28, 2021
Another memorable detail from the episode — Schlafly’s gown with its crazy harpy wings — is accurate but anachronistic.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2020
Instead, she became a supporting player in Clinton’s impeachment, stuck forever in the role of the duplicitous harpy who betrayed then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky by secretly recording their conversations.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 9, 2020
As soon as Lyra could move, she reached out trembling for the harpy and put her arms around her neck, kissing and kissing her ravaged face.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
We encounter it first in Homer’s “Iliad” and then again in Virgil’s “Aeneid,” where it appears at the doors of Hades alongside Gorgons, centaurs and Harpies.
From New York Times ● Feb. 16, 2023
The images of Chiron the centaur and his pupil Odysseus, or the purposeful winged Harpies, are burned into me.
From The Guardian ● May 23, 2020
The Greek hero sails through Harpies and clashing rocks to the Golden Fleece, guarded by the Hydra.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2019
But he barely has time to take a victory lap, because he's still got to see to the swarm of Harpies that materialize in the arena — you know what that means!
From The Verge ● Jun. 10, 2015
Their next adventure was with the Harpies, frightful flying creatures with hooked beaks and claws who always left behind them a loathsome stench, sickening to all living creatures.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
