Griffs

/ɡrɪfs/ noun

Definition

Plural of griff; informal slang for griffons or a type of fraudulent scheme (short for grift).

Etymology

Shortened form of 'griffon' or derived from 'grift,' a 20th-century American slang term for confidence games and petty theft, possibly from earlier underworld jargon.

Kelly Says

The word 'griff' shows how slang creates shortcuts—'griff' for both a mythical creature and a scam reflects how English speakers love abbreviating common words, whether they're talking about monsters or criminals.

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