c. 1200 (as a surname), from Old French grifon "a bird of prey," also "fabulous bird of Greek mythology" (with head and wings of an eagle, body and hind quarters of a lion, believed to inhabit Scythia and guard its gold), named for its hooked beak, from Late Latin gryphus, misspelling of grypus, variant of gryps (genitive grypos) "griffin," from Greek gryps (genitive grypos) "a griffin or dragon," literally "curved, hook-nosed" (opposed to simos).
Klein suggests a Semitic source, "through the medium of the Hittites," and cites Hebrew kerubh "a winged angel," Akkadian karibu, epithet of the bull-colossus (see cherub). The same or an identical word was used in mid-19c. Louisiana to mean "mulatto" (especially one one-quarter or two-fifths white) and in British India from 1793 to mean "newly arrived European," probably via notion of "strange hybrid animal."
雙語例句
1. Mr Griffin jerked forward in his chair.
格里芬先生坐在椅子上猛地向前一湊。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Mr Griffin gave a regretful smile.
格里芬先生遺憾地笑了笑。
來自柯林斯例句
3. Mr Griffin made a jerky gesture.
格里芬先生急匆匆地做了個手勢。
來自柯林斯例句
4. We thought a cruise on Lake Burley Griffin might be rather nice.
我們想在burleyGriffin湖上游覽會很有意思.
來自互聯網
5. Washington is an extravaganza of great buildings, greenery, and monuments ( Larry Griffin )