Gryfons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mythological creature combining the body of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle, often symbolizing strength and vigilance
2. A legendary beast featuring the powerful form of a lion merged with the fierce visage and soaring wings of an eagle, emblematic of courage and guardianship
3. A fantastic hybrid animal possessing the regal lion's body along with the eagle's head and wings, traditionally representing nobility and protection

Etymology: "Gryfons" is simply the plural of "gryfon," the Middle English-era spelling family that gave us the modern "griffon" (also "gryphon"). The singular names the creature that merges a lion's body with an eagle's head and wings, a hybrid that goes back to ancient Near Eastern art and was familiar to medieval Europeans through bestiaries and heraldry. Its plural form follows the regular English pattern of adding "-s" to the noun.

Synonyms: griffins, gryphons