Definition of griffin

The word "griffin" is derived from the Greek word "gryphos," which means "a creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion." The Greeks used this mythological creature in their art, literature, and mythology from as early as the 5th century BC. The Romans adopted the griffin from the Greeks and called it "gryphus." The Greeks believed that griffins guarded treasure and were often associated with the sun, wind, and thunder. In Arthurian legend, griffins were creatures that could carry knights through the air. The Byzantines used griffins as decorative figures in their art, and they appeared in medieval Bestiaries as creatures that were both fierce and noble. The word "griffin" entered the English language through Old French, which adopted the Latin word "gryphus." The first recorded use of the word in English is from the 14th century, where it appeared in an English translation of Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy. Today, griffins continue to hold interest in popular culture, from the emblem of the Philadelphia Zoo to the monsters featured in fantasy and adventure books and movies. The griffin's symbolic meaning as a hybrid creature with the strength and wisdom of several different animals represents the complexity and uniqueness of human beings.