sphinx Synonyms
Another word for sphinx
• noun (Context 1)
A mythical creature of ancient Egyptian and Greek tradition, typically depicted with the body of a lion and the head of a human, ram, or hawk, celebrated in Greek myth as a winged monster at Thebes that posed fatal riddles to travelers.
"The ancient limestone statue of a androsphinx guarded the entrance to the pharaoh's temple."
• noun (Context 2)
An enigmatic, inscrutable, or mysterious person who keeps their thoughts and intentions hidden.
"Throughout the tense negotiations, the diplomat remained a complete enigma, betraying no emotion whatsoever."
• noun (Context 3)
Any stout-bodied, strong-flying moth of the family Sphingidae (also known as a hawk moth), whose large caterpillars typically rear up in a posture fancied to resemble the Egyptian statue.
"At dusk, a large sphinx moth hovered beside the honeysuckle blossoms like a tiny hummingbird."
• noun (Context 4)
The Guinea baboon (Papio papio), a reddish-brown Old World monkey native to West Africa, or a variant spelling of the hairless Sphynx breed of domestic cat.
"The wildlife sanctuary in Senegal monitors several troops of the West African guinea baboon."
Opposites of sphinx
The opposite of sphinx shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: