Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

Sphinx, ngis (Gr. gen. Sphingos, Stat. Th. 1, 66), f., = Σφίγξ.

  1. I. A fabulous monster near Thebes that used to propose riddles to travellers, and tear in pieces those who could not solve them; usually represented with the head of a woman and the body of a lion, afterwards also with the wings of a bird; or, also, with the head of a man and the body of a lion, Plin. 36, 12, 17, § 77 sqq.; Aus. Idyll. 11, 40; Sen. Phoen. 119; id. Oedip. 92; Stat. Th. 1, 66; Plaut. Poen. 1, 3, 35; Hyg. Fab. 67 al.
    Augustus had the figure of a sphinx upon his seal, as a symbol of silence, Suet. Aug. 50; Plin. 37, 1, 4, § 10.
    Plur.: pedes formati in speciem sphingum, Fest. s. v. picati, p. 206.
    In a lusus verbb., Quint. 6, 3, 98.
  2. II. A species of ape, perh. the chimpanzee, Plin. 8, 21, 30, § 72; Mel. 3, 9; Sol. 27 fin.