harpy
/'hɑ:pi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
A harpy is depicted in a book of Greek myths as a winged creature with a woman's head.
Definition
- Noun:
- A large, powerful eagle of tropical America: A bird of prey with a distinctive black-and-white crest, known scientifically as Harpia harpyja.
- A type of fruit bat: Any bat of the genus Nyctimene, characterized by tubular, diverging nostrils.
- A mythological monster: In Greek and Roman mythology, a vicious, winged creature often depicted with the body of a bird and the head of a woman.
- A shrewish, predatory woman: A derogatory term for a malicious, fierce-tempered, or grasping woman.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Eagle):
- The harpy is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world.
- Noun (Bat):
- The tube-nosed fruit bat is sometimes called a harpy.
- Noun (Mythology):
- In the story, the heroes were tormented by harpies who stole their food.
- Noun (Derogatory):
- He called his demanding boss a harpy.
Advanced Usage
- Capitalization: When referring specifically to the mythological creatures, "Harpy" is often capitalized.
- Aeolus commanded the Harpies to plague the seer Phineus.
Variants and Related Words
- Harpy eagle (n): The full common name for the large tropical eagle.
- The harpy eagle's talons are extremely strong.
- Harpy bat (n): An alternative name for the tube-nosed fruit bat.
Synonyms
- Noun (Eagle): Bird of prey, raptor.
- Noun (Mythology): Monster, fury.
- Noun (Derogatory): Shrew, termagant, virago, hag.
Related Idioms
- No specific idioms are uniquely formed with the word "harpy." Its use is typically literal (for the animals) or a standalone metaphorical insult.
A harpy is depicted in a book of Greek myths as a winged creature with a woman's head.
Noun
- large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America
- any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes
- (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman
- a malicious woman with a fierce temper