sphinx

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an inscrutable person who keeps his thoughts and intentions secret
  2. noun (Greek mythology) a riddling winged monster with a woman's head and breast on a lion's body; daughter of Typhon
  3. noun one of a number of large stone statues with the body of a lion and the head of a man that were built by the ancient Egyptians

Etymology

From Sphinx, from Middle English Spynx, from Latin Sphinx, from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx), perhaps either from σφίγγω (sphíngō, “to squeeze, to strangle”) (whence also sphincter), of Pre-Greek origin, or from Egyptian Szp:p-A53-anx-n:x (šzp-ꜥnḫ, “divine image”, literally “living image”).

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