Harpy
[ hahr-pee ]
/ ˈhɑr pi /
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
Related forms
harp·y·like, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for harpy
British Dictionary definitions for harpy (1 of 2)
harpy
/ (ˈhɑːpɪ) /
noun plural -pies
a cruel grasping woman
Word Origin for harpy
C16: from Latin Harpyia, from Greek Harpuiai the Harpies, literally: snatchers, from harpazein to seize
British Dictionary definitions for harpy (2 of 2)
Harpy
/ (ˈhɑːpɪ) /
noun plural -pies
Greek myth a ravenous creature with a woman's head and trunk and a bird's wings and claws
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