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
Vintage store owner Hailey Clemens commemorated her own sphynx, Frank, in 2020 and chose the method for its imperfection.
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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
For Margaret Cho, her Chihuahua dog Lucia and two sphynx cats, Sacre Coeur and Sarang, give her unconditional familial love.
—Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, 3 June 2021
Some people seek out cat breeds with reputations for being hypoallergenic, such as Siberians, Cornish rexes and sphynx.
—Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 27 June 2018
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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
For Margaret Cho, her Chihuahua dog Lucia and two sphynx cats, Sacre Coeur and Sarang, give her unconditional familial love.
—Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, 3 June 2021
Some people seek out cat breeds with reputations for being hypoallergenic, such as Siberians, Cornish rexes and sphynx.
—Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 27 June 2018
See More
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
Dictionary Entries Near sphynx
Cite this Entry
“Sphynx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sphynx. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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