Sphinx

From Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx).

Sphinx f

1. A taxonomic genus within the family Sphingidae – many species of moths.

• (genus): Eukaryota – superkingdom; Animalia – kingdom; Bilateria – subkingdom; Protostomia – infrakingdom; Ecdysozoa – superphylum; Arthropoda – phylum; Hexapoda – subphylum; Insecta – class; Pterygota – subclass; Neoptera – infraclass; Lepidoptera – order; Glossata – suborder; Heteroneura – infraorder; Ditrysia – division; Cossina – section; Bombycina – subsection; Bombycoidea – superfamily; Sphingidae – family; Sphinginae – subfamily

• (genus): Sphinx ligustri – type species; for the many others see Sphinx on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

• Sphinx (moth) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Sphinx on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Category:Sphinx (Sphingidae) on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

• Sphynx (dated)

From Middle English Spynx, from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx), perhaps from σφίγγω (sphíngō, “bind tightly, to strangle”). The appurtenance of Egyptian

(šzp, “image, statue, sphinx”) or

(šzp-ꜥnḫ, “living image”) remains unclear.

• IPA^(key): /ˈsfɪŋks/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪŋks

the Sphinx

2. An ancient, large statue in Egypt, with the face of a man and the body of a lion, lying near the Great Pyramids.

   Synonyms: the Great Sphinx, the Great Sphinx of Giza

4. (Greek mythology) One of the many offspring of Typhon and Echidna, a winged lion-like creature with a woman's face, who dwelt near the city of Thebes in Boeotia and terrorized travelers by posing riddles, killing those who failed to answer correctly; after Oedipus solved her riddle, she committed suicide out of frustration.

   Synonyms: the Theban Sphinx, the Thebean Sphinx, the Sphinx of Thebes

Sphinx (plural Sphinxes or Sphinges)

1. Alternative letter-case form of sphinx (“a sculpture representing the Theban Sphinx”)
   • 1776, Coryat’s Crudities, page 35:

     In the third, which leadeth to the fonts and walkes, are two Sphinges very curiouſly carued in braſſe […]

From Ancient Greek Σφῐ́γξ (Sphĭ́nx).

• IPA^(key): /sfɪŋ(k)s/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Sphinx f (genitive Sphinx, plural Sphinxe) or
Sphinx (sometimes in scientific usage with male beings/statues) m (strong, genitive Sphinx or Sphinxes, plural Sphinxe or Sphingen)

1. sphinx

• Generally speaking, the word is feminine like its Greek etymon. The masculine is sometimes used in scientific usage when the being or statue in question is male. Since this is the case of the Sphinx of Giza, a hypercorrect belief that the masculine is generally more appropriate may exist in some semi-educated speakers.

• Sphinga (Medieval Latin)

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx).

Sphinx f (genitive Sphingis); third declension

1. Sphinx

Third-declension noun (non-Greek-type or Greek-type, normal variant).

• → English: Sphinx
• → French: (unadapted borrowing) Sphinx
• Italian: Sfinge
• Middle French: Sphinge
  • French: Sphinge
• Portuguese: Esfinge
• Spanish: Esfinge

• “Sphinx”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “Sphinx”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.