harpy

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a malicious woman with a fierce temper
  2. noun (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman
  3. noun any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes

Etymology

Ultimately 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.

In classic literature

Synonyms

vixen, hellcat

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