esfinge
sphinx
Reviewed by: David WestfallCofounder
A sphinx, and by extension anyone who gives nothing away
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
visual
e-
extra sound
(eases pronunciation)
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sphinx
Egyptian mythical creature
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-e
word ending
Esfinge means sphinx and is the English word sphinx1 with an extra e in front to ease pronunciation, the way school becomes escuela.
esfinge
sphinx
The mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head, and the giant statues of it in Egypt.
La esfinge de Guiza vigila el desierto desde hace siglosThe Sphinx of Giza has watched over the desert for centuries
En el cuento, una esfinge de piedra despierta y hace una pregunta imposibleIn the story, a stone sphinx wakes up and asks an impossible question
sphinx, enigma (figurative)
Someone who reveals nothing, giving no answer and showing no reaction.
Mi jefe es una esfinge cuando le preguntas por los despidosMy boss is a sphinx when you ask him about the layoffs
Ella escuchó toda la discusión con cara de enigmaShe listened to the whole argument with an inscrutable expression
hawk moth, sphinx moth (insect)
A large night-flying moth. Its caterpillar rears up its head in a still, upright pose that looks like a sphinx.
Una esfinge enorme entró por la ventana atraída por la luzA huge hawk moth came in through the window, drawn by the light
El biólogo estudia la esfinge que poliniza estas flores de nocheThe biologist studies the sphinx moth that pollinates these flowers at night