Harpy

Quick meaning: Harpy is a noun meaning (derogatory) A shrewish woman.

Meaning

(derogatory) A shrewish woman.

More Meanings

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

Example Sentences

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

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

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

[…] Ed Miliband has yet to come up with a definition of “the squeezed middle” that excludes anyone, but you can bet your bottom dollar he has these laptop-wielding harpies in mind.

Word Forms

• harpies

Synonyms for harpy

Depending on context, synonyms include bitch, brim, brimstone, cat, crow, dragon.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include shrew, halcyon, phoenix, hamadryad, nymph, lamia.

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