harpy
A mythological creature generally depicted as a bird-of-prey with the head of a…A mythological creature generally depicted as a bird-of-prey with the head of a maiden, a face pale with hunger and long claws on her hands personifying the destructive power of storm winds.
» To find the harpies' nest, follow the trail on the mini-map.
Meaning
5 sensesA mythological creature generally depicted as a bird-of-prey with the head of a maiden, a face pale with hunger and long claws on her hands personifying the destructive power of storm winds.
(derogatory)A shrewish woman.
Harpyie, Drachen
га́рпияgárpija, га́рпияgárpija, меге́раmegéra
a malicious woman with a fierce temper
One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.
c. 1772, Oliver Goldsmith, letter to Mrs. Bunbury The harpies about me all pocket the pool.
Any of a number of eagle-like birds of prey of the subfamily Harpiinae, especially the species Harpia harpyja.
The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus).
Examples
4 sentencesTo find the harpies' nest, follow the trail on the mini-map.
Mary is a harpy.
My landlady is a harpy.
Mary's a harpy.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
Ultimately from Middle French harpie, from Latin harpyia, from Ancient Greek ἅρπυιᾰ (hárpuUltimately from Middle French harpie, from Latin harpyia, from Ancient Greek ἅρπυιᾰ (hárpuiă, literally “snatcher”), from ἁρπάζω (harpázō, “to snatch, seize”). Compare rapacious. Middle English had arpie.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: harpiesSynonyms
28 synonyms- large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America:harpy eagleHarpia harpyja
- any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes:harpy battube-nosed battube-nosed fruit bat
- a malicious woman with a fierce temper:vixenhellcat