English
Sphinx
Sphinx comes from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΣφίγξSphínx
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CESphinx
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Spynx‘The Sphinx’
- Englishearliest quotation 1776Sphinx
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΣφίγξSphínx
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CESphinx
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Spynx‘The Sphinx’
- Englishearliest quotation 1776Sphinx
Earliest quotation: 1776, Coryat’s Crudities: “In the third, which leadeth to the fonts and…”
Every English word from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ
Today it means
name An ancient, large statue in Egypt, with the face of a man and the body of a lion, lying near the Great Pyramids.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek Σφίγξ / Sphinx