plural sphynx or sphynxes
: any of a breed of large-eared virtually hairless cats that originated as a spontaneous mutation

Examples of sphynx in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cat breeds at risk include those with thin or no fur coats, such as bambino, sphynx, Donskoy (Russian hairless) and Peterbald, according to Dr. Danielle DeMel, a critical care specialist from ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital in Pasadena. Neenma Ebeledike, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024 Pixie, Lamy and Owens’s hairless sphynx cat, slinks across the black plywood dining table hunting for food. Nick Haramis Ola Rindal Dogukan Nesanir, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Vintage store owner Hailey Clemens commemorated her own sphynx, Frank, in 2020 and chose the method for its imperfection. Hannah Baxter, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2023 Death is represented by a cat skull; the Chariot is a cat in a wheelchair; and the Devil is a sphynx in a chain collar. Medea Giordano, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2022 Young visitors at Meerkat Friends; a sphynx cat named Jelly at Mao Cafe; a 10-year-old sulcata tortoise named Kkobugi at Marie N Zoo. Yael Martínez, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2022 Still, the ship’s real VIP is Bug Naked, Captain Kate’s elusive elf sphynx. Katie Jackson, USA TODAY, 30 June 2022 Omicron, meanwhile, is a sphynx: decidedly still a cat, but wrinkly, whiskerless, and bald as a baby’s bottom. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2022 In his mind, the next major variant will probably reap its biggest advantages from snubbing a resemblance to Omicron; that would position it to escape whatever sphynx-ish immunity the variant’s currently coaxing out. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sphynx.' 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

probably alteration of sphinx; from the cat's appearance

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sphynx was in 1970

Dictionary Entries Near sphynx

Cite this Entry

“Sphynx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sphynx. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!