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单词 sphinx
释义

Definition of sphinx in English:

sphinx

nounsfɪŋkssfɪŋks
  • 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. 1.1 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.
    2. 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:

sphinx

nounsfiNGkssfɪŋks
  • 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. 1.1the 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.
    2. 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’.

 
 
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更新时间:2025/1/26 14:18:34