Sphinx
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Sphinx ligustri
See also: sphinx
Translingual
Etymology
From Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx).
Proper noun
Sphinx f
- A taxonomic genus within the family Sphingidae – many species of moths.
Hypernyms
- (genus): Eukaryota – superkingdom; Animalia – kingdom; Bilateria – subkingdom; Protostomia – infrakingdom; Ecdysozoa – superphylum; Arthropoda – phylum; Hexapoda – subphylum; Insecta – class; Pterygota – subclass; Neoptera – infraclass; Lepidoptera – order; Glossata - suborder; Heteroneura - infraorder; Ditrysia - division; Cossina - section; Bombycina - subsection; Bombycoidea - superfamily; Sphingidae - family; Sphinginae - subfamily
Hyponyms
- (genus): Sphinx ligustri (type species), for the many others see
Sphinx on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
References
Sphinx (moth) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia - Sphinx on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
Sphinx (Sphingidae) on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English Spynx, from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx), perhaps from σφίγγω (sphíngō, “bind tightly, to strangle”). The appurtenance of Egyptian
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(šzp, “image, statue, sphinx”) or
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(šzp-ꜥnḫ, “living image”) remains unclear.
Pronunciation
Proper noun
Sphinx (plural Sphinges)
- (usually with "the") An ancient, large statue in Egypt, with the face of a man and the body of a lion, lying near the Great Pyramids.
- (Greek mythology) One of the many offspring of Typhon and Echidna, a winged lion-like creature with a woman's face, who committed suicide out of frustration after Oedipus managed to solve her riddles.
Synonyms
- (definite: large statue in Egypt): The Great Sphinx, The Great Sphinx of Giza
Derived terms
Translations
large monument in Egypt
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Greek mythological creature
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
German
Etymology
From Ancient Greek Σφῐ́γξ (Sphĭ́nx).
Pronunciation
Noun
Sphinx f (genitive Sphinx, plural Sphinxe) or
Sphinx (sometimes in scientific usage with male beings/statues) m (strong, genitive Sphinx or Sphinxes, plural Sphinxe or Sphingen)
Usage notes
- Generally speaking, the word is feminine like its Greek etymon. The masculine is sometimes used in scientific usage when the being or statue in question is male. Since this is the case of the Sphinx of Giza, a hypercorrect belief that the masculine is generally more appropriate may exist in some semi-educated speakers.
Declension
Declension of Sphinx
Declension of Sphinx
Latin
Etymology
From Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx).
Noun
Sphinx f (genitive Sphingis); third declension
Declension
Third-declension noun (non-Greek-type or Greek-type, normal variant).
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | Sphinx | Sphingēs Sphinges |
| genitive | Sphingis Sphingos |
Sphingum |
| dative | Sphingī | Sphingibus |
| accusative | Sphingem Sphinga |
Sphingēs Sphingas |
| ablative | Sphinge | Sphingibus |
| vocative | Sphinx | Sphingēs Sphinges |
References
- “Sphinx”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- Sphinx in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.