harpy

Meaning

Noun

• A mythological creature generally depicted as a bird-of-prey with the head of maiden, a face pale with hunger and long claws on her hands personifying the destructive power of storm winds.
• 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).

Origin

• Ultimately from Middle French harpie, from Latin harpyia, from Ancient Greek Ἅρπυια, from ἁρπάζω. Compare rapacious. Middle English had arpie.