plural sphinxes or sphinges ˈsfin-ˌjēz How to pronounce sphinx (audio)
1
a
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
sphinxlike adjective

Examples of sphinx in a Sentence

a statue of the Sphinx
Recent Examples on the Web The face of the Egyptian sphinx, Selzer says, looks like Mikhail Gorbachev. Marianne Mather, Chicago Tribune, 24 Oct. 2024 The ancient site shared more features with the temple described in the Book of Kings than any uncovered before or since, including walls carved in reliefs of lions and cherubs, a courtyard paved in flagstones, a monumental staircase guarded by sphinxes and a multistory hallway. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024 As a news photographer, Herbert Gehr had seen a lot — wars, Egyptian sphinxes, heads of state, movie stars, and a slew of celebrities. Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 28 July 2024 Perched on the outskirts of Cairo, the Giza site contains six pyramids in total: three towering ones, including the Great Pyramid, and three smaller ones—plus an enormous statue of a sphinx, for good measure. Rebecca James, Architectural Digest, 3 Apr. 2017 See all Example Sentences for sphinx 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sphinx.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Sphinx, Sphix

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sphinx was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near sphinx

Cite this Entry

“Sphinx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sphinx. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

sphinx

noun
plural sphinxes or sphinges ˈsfin-ˌjēz How to pronounce sphinx (audio)
: an ancient Egyptian image having the body of a lion and the head of a man, ram, or hawk

More from Merriam-Webster on sphinx

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