: a mythical animal typically having the head, forepart, and wings of an eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion
Illustration of griffin
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThere is also an explosion of what look like giant grape vines (also wood-like), out of the pods of which erupt a crew of beasties: a gnashing cyclops, a gnashing griffin, and more gnashers.—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2023 The backlash has intensified since last fall, when the City Council began pushing to remove the department’s emblem – a winged creature known as a griffin that had adorned patches on officers’ uniforms since the 1960s.—From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 15 July 2021 The Dreaming has two gates — one of horn and one of ivory, built from the bones of ancient gods that picked a fight with Dream eons ago — and is usually guarded by three gatekeepers: a wyvern, a griffin, and a hippogriff.—Christian Holub, EW.com, 26 July 2022 Hart said the debate over the griffin missed the bigger picture.—Ryan J. Foley, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2021 Hart said the debate over the griffin missed the bigger picture.—NBC News, 17 Sep. 2021 Supporters of the griffin, including the Back the Blue group, framed its removal as an affront to officers.—Ryan J. Foley, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2021 Supporters of the griffin, including the Back the Blue group, framed its removal as an affront to officers.—NBC News, 17 Sep. 2021 Supporters of the griffin, including the Back the Blue group, framed its removal as an affront to officers.—Ryan J. Foley, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2021 See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'griffin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English griffon, from Anglo-French grif, griffun, from Latin gryphus, from Greek gryp-, gryps
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