Plural of griffon; mythical creatures with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion, or a type of dog breed.
From Old French 'griffon,' possibly from Latin 'gryphus,' which came from Greek 'gryphos.' The Greek root may relate to a sharp hooked nose or claw, fitting the creature's fierce appearance.
Griffons appear in art across dozens of ancient cultures—Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, and Sumerians all had similar eagle-lion hybrids, which makes scholars wonder if people were describing the same legendary animal or if humans everywhere imagine power as a combination of sky and earth dominators.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.