harpy

Meaning

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.
2. (derogatory) A shrewish woman.
3. One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.
4. Any of a number of eagle-like birds of prey of the subfamily Harpiinae, especially the species Harpia harpyja.
5. The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus).

Synonyms

harpy bat

harpy eagle

vixen

Harpia harpyja

tube-nosed bat

tube-nosed fruit bat

harridan

beast of prey

hellcat

witch

Harpy

harrier eagle

ball-breaker

ball-buster

slime eel

borer

crone

gorgon

grandmother

hag

ogress

predator

termagant

Translations

harpie

arpia

arpía

harpia

harpia

harpij

Harpyie

Zuidamerikaanse arend

chipie

🐮

strega

sirène

🧜‍♀️

άρπυια

rosse

Harpyia

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhɑɹpi/

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.