hippogriff

noun

hip·​po·​griff ˈhi-pə-ˌgrif How to pronounce hippogriff (audio)
: a legendary animal having the foreparts of a griffin and the body of a horse

Examples of hippogriff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Buckbeak was one of the company’s most memorable creations, with a 90-strong team working for 15 months to deliver more than 80 hippogriff shots for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024 From the terrifying Basilisk serpent to the majestic hippogriff Buckbeak, VFX giant Framestore brought to life many of J.K. Rowling’s magical creatures in the Harry Potter films. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French hippogriffe, from Italian ippogrifo, from ippo- (from Greek hippos horse) + grifo griffin, from Latin gryphus

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hippogriff was in 1612

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Cite this Entry

“Hippogriff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hippogriff. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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