griffin

noun

grif·​fin ˈgri-fən 

variants or griffon or less commonly gryphon

: 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

Examples of griffin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As seen in the video above, Homelander's new animality, coming to the game as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion launching Tuesday, sees the supe transforming into a similarly red-white-and-blue-decked griffin that tears apart its victim before exploding them with laser vision. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 23 Sep. 2024

There is plenty of snot in this book and plenty of things that smell bad, and the griffin, on first encounter, vomits all over Christopher. —Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024

Painting of a griffin, a lion-raptor chimera, alongside the fossils of Protoceratops, a horned dinosaur. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 25 June 2024

By the Middle Ages, griffins were common figures in medieval iconography and in heraldry. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English griffon, from Anglo-French grif, griffun, from Latin gryphus, from Greek gryp-, gryps

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

griffin

noun

grif·​fin

variants or griffon also gryphon

ˈgrif-ən

: an imaginary animal that is half eagle and half lion

Geographical Definition

Griffin

geographical name

Grif·​fin ˈgri-fən 

city south-southeast of Atlanta in west central Georgia population 23,643

Biographical Definition

Griffin

biographical name

Grif·​fin ˈgri-fən 

Walter Burley 1876–1937 American architect