griffin

1 of 3

noun (1)

grif·​fin ˈgri-fən How to pronounce griffin (audio)
variants or griffon or less commonly gryphon
: a mythical animal typically having the head, forepart, and wings of an eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion

Illustration of griffin

Illustration of griffin

griff

2 of 3

noun (2)

ˈgrif How to pronounce griff (audio)
plural -s
dialectal, England
: a deep narrow glen or ravine

griff

3 of 3

noun (3)

ˈgrif How to pronounce griff (audio)
variants or less commonly griffin
ˈgri-fən How to pronounce griff (audio)
plural -s
slang, British
: an accurate account : a factually correct piece of information
especially : a bit of inside information : tip

Examples of griffin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
When Debbie, Susan, and Thom come over for a double-date pizza night, only Bret is concerned about the spate of recent home invasions, the missing pets, and the desecration of the griffin mascot. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026 Acheloo, the oldest and most powerful water spirit in ancient Greece; and two griffins, creatures that sport the head of an eagle head and the body of a lion. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 25 June 2026 On a blind date, his descriptions of magical griffins and burning deserts sound humiliatingly immature. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026 Mythical creatures — griffins and sphinxes — adorn the back, motifs that speak to the cultural exchanges flowing through the region. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for griffin

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English griffon, from Anglo-French grif, griffun, from Latin gryphus, from Greek gryp-, gryps

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of griffin was in the 14th century

Rhymes for griffin

See All Rhymes for griffin

Browse Nearby Words

griffe
griffin
Griffin
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Cite this Entry

“Griffin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/griffin. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

griffin

noun
grif·​fin
variants or griffon also gryphon
ˈgrif-ən
: an imaginary animal that is half eagle and half lion

Geographical Definition

Griffin

geographical name

Grif·​fin ˈgri-fən How to pronounce Griffin (audio)
city south-southeast of Atlanta in west central Georgia population 23,643

Biographical Definition

Griffin

biographical name

Grif·​fin ˈgri-fən How to pronounce Griffin (audio)
Walter Burley 1876–1937 American architect

More from Merriam-Webster on griffin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about griffin

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