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sphinx

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
sphinx  (sfngks)
n. pl. sphinx·es or sphin·ges (sfnjz)
1. Mythology A figure in Egyptian myth having the body of a lion and the head of a man, ram, or hawk.
2. often Sphinx Greek Mythology A winged creature having the head of a woman and the body of a lion, noted for killing those who could not answer its riddle.
3. A puzzling or mysterious person.

[Middle English Spynx, from Latin Sphinx, from Greek.]

sphinx
Noun
1. one of the huge statues built by the ancient Egyptians, with the body of a lion and the head of a man
2. a mysterious person

Sphinx
Noun
1. the huge statue of a sphinx near the pyramids at El Gîza in Egypt
2. Greek myth a monster with a woman's head and a lion's body, who set a riddle for travellers, killing them when they failed to answer it. Oedipus answered the riddle and the Sphinx then killed herself [Greek]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.sphinx - an inscrutable person who keeps his thoughts and intentions secret
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"
2.Sphinx - (Greek mythology) a riddling winged monster with a woman's head and breast on a lion's body; daughter of Typhon
Greek mythology - the mythology of the ancient Greeks
mythical creature, mythical monster - a monster renowned in folklore and myth
3.sphinx - 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
statue - a sculpture representing a human or animal
Translations

sphinx [sfɪŋks] nesfinge f
sphinx [sfɪŋks] nsphinx m
sphinx [sfɪŋks] nSphinx f
sphinx [sfɪŋks] nsfinge f

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The Sphinx has one hundred and fifty qualifications for impassiveness which you lack.
Arriving at Thebes he answered the riddle of the Sphinx and the grateful Thebans made their deliverer king.
Coming through the bushes by the White Sphinx were the heads and shoulders of men running.
 
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