释义 |
Definition of sphinx in English: sphinxnounsfɪŋkssfɪŋks 1Greek Mythology A winged monster having a woman's head and a lion's body. It propounded a riddle about the three ages of man, killing those who failed to solve it, until Oedipus was successful, whereupon the Sphinx committed suicide. - 1.1 An ancient Egyptian stone figure having a lion's body and a human or animal head, especially the huge statue near the Pyramids at Giza.
Example sentencesExamples - The building with the sphinx and obelisks in the center housed Akoun's Beautiful Orient with its bazaar offering wares from the Middle East.
- When the sphinx was crumbling they finally repaired it in plaster, which needs replacing every five years, in order to maintain the point of decay, and clarify the difference.
- They were going to see the sphinx and come back with souvenirs.
- 1.2 An enigmatic or inscrutable person.
it drove him mad when she turned herself into a sphinx as a ruse to avoid facing the truth Example sentencesExamples - The shy, introverted Gandhi, once described as a sphinx and an enigma, has come a long way in the past six years.
2North American another term for hawkmoth
Origin Late Middle English: via Latin from Greek Sphinx, apparently from sphingein 'draw tight'. Rhymes jinks, jinx, lynx, methinks, minx Definition of sphinx in US English: sphinxnounsfiNGkssfɪŋks 1Greek Mythology A winged monster having a woman's head and a lion's body. It propounded a riddle about the three ages of man, killing those who failed to solve it, until Oedipus was successful, whereupon the Sphinx committed suicide. - 1.1the Sphinx An ancient Egyptian stone figure having a lion's body and a human or animal head, especially the huge statue near the Pyramids at Giza.
Example sentencesExamples - The building with the sphinx and obelisks in the center housed Akoun's Beautiful Orient with its bazaar offering wares from the Middle East.
- They were going to see the sphinx and come back with souvenirs.
- When the sphinx was crumbling they finally repaired it in plaster, which needs replacing every five years, in order to maintain the point of decay, and clarify the difference.
- 1.2 An enigmatic or inscrutable person.
it drove him mad when she turned herself into a sphinx as a ruse to avoid facing the truth Example sentencesExamples - The shy, introverted Gandhi, once described as a sphinx and an enigma, has come a long way in the past six years.
2North American another term for hawk moth
Origin Late Middle English: via Latin from Greek Sphinx, apparently from sphingein ‘draw tight’. |