harpy Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a malicious woman with a fierce temper
    vixen; hellcat.
  2. noun (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman
  3. noun any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes
    tube-nosed bat; harpy bat; tube-nosed fruit bat.
  4. noun large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America
    harpy eagle; Harpia harpyja.

WordNet

Har"py noun
Etymology
F. harpie, L. harpyia, Gr. , from the root of to snatch, to seize. Gf. Rapacious.
Wordforms
plural Harpies
Definitions
  1. (Gr. Myth.) 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.

Webster 1913