sphinx
-2 n. எகிப்திய பழங்கலைப்பொருள்கள் வகையில் சூரரிமா உருவச்சிலை,புதிர், பெரிய ஆப்பிரிக்க விட்டில் வகை, குரங்கு வகை.
Sphinx, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. sfi`gx, usually derived from sfi`ggein to bind tight or together, as if the Throttler.] 1. (a) In Egyptian art, an image of granite or porphyry, having a human head, or the head of a ram or of a hawk, upon the wingless body of a lion. The awful ruins of the days of old . . . Or jasper tomb, or mutilated sphinx. Shelley. (b) On Greek art and mythology, a she-monster, usually represented as having the winged body of a lion, and the face and breast of a young woman. Note: The most famous Grecian sphinx, that of Thebes in Boeotia, is said to have proposed a riddle to the Thebans, and killed those who were unable to guess it. The enigma was solved by "Subtle as sphinx." Shak. 2. Hence: A person of enigmatical character and purposes, especially in politics and diplomacy. 3. (Zoöl.) Defn: Any one of numerous species of large moths of the family Sphingidæ; -- called also hawk moth. Note: The larva is a stout naked caterpillar which, when at rest, often assumes a position suggesting the Egyptian sphinx, whence the name. 4. (Zoöl.) Defn: The Guinea, or sphinx, baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx). Sphinx baboon (Zoöl.), a large West African baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx), often kept in menageries. -- Sphinx moth. (Zoöl.) Same as Sphinx, 3.