sphinx
noun
\ ˈsfiŋ(k)s
\
\
plural sphinxes
or sphinges\ ˈsfin-ˌjēz
\
\
Definition of sphinx
1a
capitalized
: a winged female monster in Greek mythology having a woman's head and a lion's body and noted for killing anyone unable to answer its riddle
b
: an enigmatic or mysterious person
she is a sphinx whose features hold a blank fascination
2
: an ancient Egyptian image in the form of a recumbent lion having a man's head, a ram's head, or a hawk's head
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from sphinx
sphinxlike
\ ˈsfiŋ(k)s-ˌlīk
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of sphinx in a Sentence
a statue of the Sphinx
Recent Examples on the Web
Ben Zobrist has been a sphinx since starting his comeback attempt last week, declining to talk with reporters or posting anything on social media. — Paul Sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "Ben Zobrist homers for the 2nd straight night but remains silent in the minors during his Cubs comeback attempt," 9 Aug. 2019 The bus, a 1963 11-window Deluxe, was covered in symbols and languages, with a dollop of astrology, a sphinx, heavenly bodies, and the Hindu diety Vishnu, conveying messages of hope and enlightenment. — David Morgan, CBS News, "A Woodstock icon recreated: The VW "Light Bus"," 4 Aug. 2019 In another project, archaeologists discovered a stunning sphinx statue at an ancient temple in southern Egypt. — Fox News, "Ancient Egyptian fortress built by Ramses II reveals its secrets," 15 June 2019 So how did the sphinx end up in a Philadelphia museum in the first place? — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "The Penn Museum Just Floated a 12-Ton Sphinx Out a Window," 13 June 2019 June 13 is moving day, the first time the sphinx has left the Egyptian galleries in nearly a century. — Stephan Salisbury, https://www.inquirer.com, "N.C. Wyeth, Penn Museum’s moving sphinx, Gee’s Bend quilters, and more museum highlights," 5 June 2019 Dunham still has three pets at home: a sphinx cat named Irma and poodles Karen and Susan. — Maria Pasquini, PEOPLE.com, "Lena Dunham Mourns the Death of Her Cat Gia Marie: 'She Was My Love, My Dearest Companion'," 15 June 2018 This is likely a caterpillar known as the tersa sphinx, the immature stage of a rather attractive brown moth common in Florida, feeding on pentas, milkweeds and other landscape plants. — Tom Maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Poor root system hinders plant growth," 19 May 2018 The sculpture is forty tons of sugar molded into a ghostly white apparition, part mammy, part sphinx. — Longreads, "Kara Walker’s Subtlety," 28 Feb. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sphinx.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for sphinx
sphinx
noun
English Language Learners Definition of sphinx
in ancient Greek and Egyptian stories
: a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a person
also
: something (such as a statue) in the shape of a sphinx
See the full definition for sphinx in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sphinx
noun
\ ˈsfiŋks
\
\
Kids Definition of sphinx
: a mythical figure of ancient Egypt having the body of a lion and the head of a man, a ram, or a hawk
Keep scrolling for more