From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Harpy \Har"py\ (h[aum]r"p[y^]), n.; pl. {Harpies} (-p[i^]z). [F.
harpie, L. harpyia, Gr. "a`rpyia, from the root of "arpa`zein
to snatch, to seize. Cf. {Rapacious}.]
1. (Gr. Myth.) A fabulous winged monster, ravenous and
filthy, having the face of a woman and the body of a
vulture, with long claws, and the face pale with hunger.
Some writers mention two, others three.
[1913 Webster]
Both table and provisions vanished quite.
With sound of harpies' wings and talons heard.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.
[1913 Webster]
The harpies about all pocket the pool. --Goldsmith.
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3. (Zool.)
(a) The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier ({Circus
[ae]ruginosus}).
(b) A large and powerful, double-crested, short-winged
American eagle ({Thrasa["e]tus harpyia}). It ranges
from Texas to Brazil.
[1913 Webster]
{Harpy bat} (Zool.)
(a) An East Indian fruit bat of the genus {Harpyia} (esp.
{Harpyia cephalotes}), having prominent, tubular
nostrils.
(b) A small, insectivorous Indian bat ({Harpiocephalus
harpia}).
{Harpy fly} (Zool.), the house fly.
[1913 Webster] Harquebus
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
harpy
n 1: a malicious woman with a fierce temper [syn: {vixen},
{harpy}, {hellcat}]
2: (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a
bird with the head of a woman
3: any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene
distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes
[syn: {harpy}, {harpy bat}, {tube-nosed bat}, {tube-nosed
fruit bat}]
4: large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America [syn:
{harpy}, {harpy eagle}, {Harpia harpyja}]
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