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Harpy

//ˈhɑɹpi// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A mythological creature generally depicted as a bird-of-prey with the head of a maiden, a face pale with hunger and long claws on her hands personifying the destructive power of storm winds.

    "Both table and provisions vanish'd quite, With sound of harpies' wings and talons heard."

  2. 2
    large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America wordnet
  3. 3
    A shrewish woman. derogatory

    "But her most subtle wiles proved ineffectual in ridding her, even for a moment, of her harpy jailer[…]"

  4. 4
    any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes wordnet
  5. 5
    One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.

    "c. 1772, Oliver Goldsmith, letter to Mrs. Bunbury The harpies about me all pocket the pool."

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  1. 6
    (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman wordnet
  2. 7
    Any of a number of eagle-like birds of prey of the subfamily Harpiinae, especially the species Harpia harpyja.
  3. 8
    a malicious woman with a fierce temper wordnet
  4. 9
    The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus).

Etymology

Ultimately from Middle French harpie, from Latin harpyia, from Ancient Greek ἅρπυιᾰ (hárpuiă, literally “snatcher”), from ἁρπάζω (harpázō, “I snatch, seize”). Compare rapacious. Middle English had arpie.

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