HARPY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Harpy mean? 

• HARPY (noun)
  The noun HARPY has 4 senses:

1. a malicious woman with a fierce temper

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

3. any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes

4. large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America

  Familiarity information: HARPY used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HARPY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A malicious woman with a fierce temper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

harpy; hellcat; vixen

Hypernyms ("harpy" is a kind of...):

disagreeable woman; unpleasant woman (a woman who is an unpleasant person)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Harpy" is a kind of...):

mythical creature; mythical monster (a monster renowned in folklore and myth)

Domain category:

Greek mythology (the mythology of the ancient Greeks)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

harpy; harpy bat; tube-nosed bat; tube-nosed fruit bat

Hypernyms ("harpy" is a kind of...):

fruit bat; megabat (large Old World bat of warm and tropical regions that feeds on fruit)

Holonyms ("harpy" is a member of...):

genus Nyctimene; Nyctimene (East Indian fruit bats)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Harpia harpyja; harpy; harpy eagle

Hypernyms ("harpy" is a kind of...):

bird of Jove; eagle (any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight)

Holonyms ("harpy" is a member of...):

genus Harpia; Harpia (a genus of Accipitridae)

 Context examples 

These animals include jaguars, Spix's macaws, harpy eagles, vinaceous-breasted amazons, crowned solitary eagles, hawksbill turtles, green turtles, tarantulas, Amazon false coral snakes, Brazilian green racer snakes, cream-colored woodpeckers, blue spiny starfish, sharks, seahorses, piaba fish, sawfish, bluefin tuna, brown howler monkeys.

(Over 300 animal species threatened in Bahia, Agência Brasil)