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• Harpy
  Harpy

  noun

  a ravenous, filthy monster having a woman's head and a bird's body.
• harpy
  harpy

  noun

  a cruel grasping woman

Harpy

American  

[hahr-pee] / ˈhɑr pi /

noun

• Harpies
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• harpylike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Harpies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Harpy

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Harpy harpy Harpies

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

Now I wake up between 6 and 8 a.m. to walk Harpy.

From New York Times ● Sep. 24, 2021

The classic example is Israel’s IAI Harpy, which was developed in the 1980s to target anti-air defenses.

From The Verge ● Jun. 3, 2021

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

From Washington Post ● Jul. 26, 2018

But as he left the boy looked back over his shoulder, and when she saw his eyes Dany thought, The Harpy has another Son.

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

For some, the experience included encountering the majestic harpy eagle, one of the world’s most powerful avian predators and threatened species that has been known to nest near the camp.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 27, 2021

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

Will didn’t move, because out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Lady Salmakia moving delicately along the branch where the harpy was perching.

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 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

Jason and the Argonauts had a stunning variety of creatures – Talos, the man of bronze, the Harpies and the army of skeletons among them – populating the hero's mythical quest.

From The Guardian ● May 7, 2013

He knew through his gift of prophecy that he could be defended from the Harpies by two men alone, who were among the company on the Argo—the sons of Boreas, the great North Wind.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton