1. (n.) In Egyptian art, an image of granite or porphyry, having a human head, or the head of a ram or of a hawk, upon the wingless body of a lion.

2. (n.) On Greek art and mythology, a she-monster, usually represented as having the winged body of a lion, and the face and breast of a young woman.

3. (n.) Hence: A person of enigmatical character and purposes, especially in politics and diplomacy.

4. (n.) Any one of numerous species of large moths of the family Sphingidae; -- called also hawk moth.

5. (n.) The Guinea, or sphinx, baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx).

Argus Briareus Cerberus Charybdis Cyclops Echidna Gila monster Gorgon Harpy Hydra Loch Ness monster Mafioso Medusa Minotaur Pegasus Python Scylla Sphinx Talos Tartar Typhon Young Turk agama alligator anole bear bearded lizard beast beldam berserk berserker blindworm bomber box turtle brute butterfly agama cayman centaur chameleon chimera cockatrice crank crocodile crosspatch demon devil diamondback drake false map turtle feist fiend fire-eater firebrand flying dragon fury gavial gecko girdle-tailed lizard glass snake goon gorilla green turtle griffin grizzly bear grouch gunsel hardnose hawksbill hawksbill turtle hell-raiser hellcat hellhound hellion hippocampus holy terror hood hoodlum hothead hotspur iguana incendiary killer leatherback lizard mad dog madcap matamata mermaid merman monitor monster mugger nixie ogre ogress rapist revolutionary roc salamander satyr savage sea horse sea serpent sea turtle she-wolf siren soft-shelled turtle sorehead spitfire stump tail teju termagant terrapin terror terrorist tiger tigress tortoise tough tough guy troll tuatara turtle ugly customer unicorn vampire violent virago vixen werewolf wild beast windigo witch wolf xiphopagus zombie