griffon
griffon Lexical Profile
griffon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.
"The ancient tapestry depicted a brave knight engaged in battle with a fierce griffon."
Any of several breeds of wire-haired dogs originally bred for hunting or as companions, such as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon or Brussels Griffon.
"She adopted a small, wiry griffon with an incredibly expressive, almost human-like face."
A large Old World vulture characterized by a pale head and neck, native to mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
"A flock of griffons circled lazily in the thermal currents high above the Spanish Pyrenees."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'griffon' is often used interchangeably with 'griffin' or 'gryphon' for the mythical creature, it is the standard spelling reserved for the specific wire-haired dog breeds and the Eurasian vulture.
• Rhymes for griffon
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'griffon', borrowed from Old French 'grifon', from Latin 'gryphus', ultimately from Greek 'gryps', meaning a curved or hooked beak.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.