Sphinx (en. Sphinx)

/sfɛ̃ks/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

noun

A mythological creature often depicted with a lion's body and a human head, famous for its riddles.

The Sphinx of Giza is one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Le sphinx de Gizeh est l'une des merveilles du monde ancien.

A symbol of mystery or enigma.

His way of speaking was like a true sphinx, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

Sa façon de parler était un vrai sphinx, ne révélant rien de ses pensées.

In literature, an ambivalent character that arouses curiosity.

The protagonist acted like a sphinx, keeping his past a secret.

Le protagoniste agissait comme un sphinx, gardant son passé secret.

The word comes from ancient Greek 'sphinx', which is derived from 'sphingein', meaning 'to strangle'.

sphinx of decline

Representation of the inevitability of death and downfall.

sphinx du déclin

mythology

The study of myths and traditional tales.

mythologie

riddle

A problem or question that is difficult to solve.

énigme

An individual who keeps their thoughts secret.

She is a true sphinx, no one knows what she thinks.

Elle est un véritable sphinx, personne ne sait ce qu'elle pense.

A mystery or a situation difficult to understand.

This project is a sphinx, we can't grasp its objective.

Ce projet est un sphinx, on n'arrive pas à en saisir l'objectif.