manticore

Meaning

Noun

• A beast with the body of a lion (usually red), the tail of a scorpion, and the head/face of a man with a mouth filled with multiple rows of sharp teeth (like a shark), said to be able to shoot spikes from its tail or mane to paralyse prey. It may be horned, winged, or both; its voice is described as a mixture of pipes and trumpets.

Origin

• From Latin mantichōra, from Ancient Greek μαντιχώρας, μαρτιχόρας, μαρτιοχώρας, from Old Persian *𐎶𐎼𐎫𐎹-𐎧𐎺𐎠𐎼 ("man-eater"). See Old Persian 𐎶𐎼𐎫𐎡𐎹.