Grifo

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle ; a mechanical device used for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe or container ; a surname or family name of Italian and Spanish origin
2. A legendary beast combining features of a lion and an eagle ; a valve or spout for dispensing fluids ; a personal or last name commonly found in Mediterranean regions
3. An imaginary hybrid animal having the strength of a lion and keen eyesight of an eagle ; a faucet or tap used to regulate liquid output ; a hereditary name passed down within certain families in Europe

Etymology: "Grifo" is the name of a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, a beast that appears in medieval bestiaries and heraldry. The word came into English from Spanish, where "grifo" and "grifa" are closely linked, and the same root gave Spanish a set of words for hooked or clawed things. That shared idea of a curved, grasping talon is the thread connecting the monster to its name. The creature itself is older than the word. Griffins were depicted in the art of the ancient Near East and Greece long before any European language had a name for them, and medieval writers tended to describe them as powerful guardians of treasure. The English form was borrowed in the late Middle Ages through the Spanish-speaking world, where the animal's talons gave the name its character.