Question 1 · Quick check
sphinx
CEFRB1
/ˈsfɪŋks/
noun
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
noun
A mythical creature with a human head and a lion body.
- 02
noun
Extra detailA mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx), formerly classified as a baboon, and called sphinx baboon.
Examples
Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.
The Sphinx began to walk around him.
At a glance
Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 1
- Citations
- 5
- Synonyms
- 1
Deep Dive
noun
Extra meaningsA person who keeps their thoughts and intentions secret; an enigmatic or impassive person.
A creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal, commonly a lion.
A sphinx moth.
More examples
In contextThe Sphinx howled with rage.
Several animals maintained either a crouched … or a sphinxing posture (abdomen on the floor)
A hot lion with a very bloated stomach … will adopt either a sphinxed or a squatting posture which takes some of the weight off its belly.
Related
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
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Nearby
Origin
noun
From Sphinx, from Middle English Spynx, from Latin Sphinx, from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx), perhaps either from σφίγγω (sphíngō, “to squeeze, to strangle”) (whence also sphincter), of Pre-Greek origin, or from Egyptian Szp:p-A53-anx-n:x (šzp-ꜥnḫ, “divine image”, literally “living image”).