HARPY

harpy, harpy eagle, Harpia harpyja

(noun) large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America

harpy, harpy bat, tube-nosed bat, tube-nosed fruit bat

(noun) any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes

Harpy

(noun) (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman

vixen, harpy, hellcat

(noun) a malicious woman with a fierce temper

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

harpy (plural harpies)

A fabulous winged monster, ravenous and filthy, having the face of a woman and the body of a vulture.

A shrewish woman.

One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.

The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus).

A large and powerful double-crested, short-winged American eagle (Harpia harpyja).

Synonyms

• (shrewish woman): See Thesaurus:shrew

Source: Wiktionary

Har"py, n.; pl. Harpies. Etym: [F. harpie, L. harpyia, Gr. Rapacious.]

1. (Gr. Myth.)

Definition: A fabulous winged monster, ravenous and filthy, having the face of a woman and the body of a vulture, with long claws, and the face pale with hunger. Some writers mention two, others three. Both table and provisions vanished guite. With sound of harpies' wings and talons heard. Milton.

2. One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner. The harpies about all pocket the pool. Goldsmith.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus æruginosus). (b) A large and powerful, double-crested, short-winged American eagle (Thrasaëtus harpyia). It ranges from Texas to Brazil. Harpy bat (Zoöl.) (a) An East Indian fruit bat of the genus Harpyia (esp. H. cerphalotes), having prominent, tubular nostrils. (b) A small, insectivorous Indian bat (Harpiocephalus harpia). Harpy fly (Zoöl.), the house fly.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition