Other forms: harpies
A harpy is a monster of Greek legend, and an insulting word for a woman. The harpies of myth, called her a harpy, a screeching harpy.
In the myths they were winged creatures who snatched food and people away, and the name means snatcher. As an insult it is aimed only at women, usually for being angry or demanding, and it is worth recognising rather than using.
1nounharpyA monster of legend, or an insulting word for a woman.
“The hero drew his sword as the harpy, half woman and half bird, dived at him.”
harpy is a monster, or an insult.
Greek harpuia means a snatcher, from harpazein, to seize. Rapacious comes from a related Latin root.
Ancient Greek
ἅρπυιᾰ
Latin
harpyia
Middle French
harpie
English, today
harpy
Built from
Ultimately from Middle French harpie, from Latin harpyia, from Ancient Greek ἅρπυιᾰ literally “snatcher”, from ἁρπάζω (“to snatch, seize”). Compare rapacious. Middle English had arpie.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA