Griffin: Eagle in Front, Lion Behind
A griffin is a mythical creature with an eagle's head and wings and a lion's body. It has guarded gold and gateways for three thousand years.
A griffin has the head, wings and talons of an eagle and the body of a lion. Because it combines the king of birds with the king of beasts, heraldry treats it as a symbol of vigilance and strength, and ancient stories set it to guard treasure — a job it has held from Persia to medieval Europe.
- A mythical eagle-lion creature. *A griffin on the gate.*
- Gryphon / griffon — alternative spellings. *The gryphon in the poem.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | griffin | A stone griffin. |
| Plural | griffins | Two griffins. |
| Variant | gryphon | The gryphon statue. |
| Variant | griffon | A griffon in heraldry. |
| Related | hippogriff | A hippogriff, half horse. |
How it is used in a sentence
- A pair of griffins flank the doorway.Common in architecture.
- The college arms show a griffin rampant.Rampant means rearing on hind legs.
- In the story the griffin guards a hoard of gold.Its oldest role.
Hybrid creatures
- Griffin — eagle and lion
- Hippogriff — griffin and horse
- Chimera — lion, goat and serpent
- Sphinx — human head on a lion's body
- Manticore — human head, lion body, scorpion tail
From Old French *grifon*, from Late Latin *gryphus*, from Greek *gryps*, probably related to *grypos*, hook-nosed. The beak in the name is the oldest surviving detail.
Griffin, gryphon or griffon?
All three are accepted. Griffin is the usual modern spelling; gryphon is favoured in literary contexts and griffon in heraldry and in dog breed names.
What does a griffin symbolise?
Vigilance, courage and guardianship. That is why it appears on gates, banks and coats of arms.