Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1800-1900
Origin: Harpy name of a creature in ancient Greek stories with the head of a woman and the body of a bird (16-21 centuries), from Greek harpyia 'seizer'

harpy

 noun
     
har‧py plural harpies [countable]
1 literary a cruel woman
2

Harpy

a cruel creature in ancient Greek stories, with the head and upper body of a woman and the wings and feet of a bird
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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