Mythful Meanings

In the English language, many meanings come from myths. This blog considers many of those words.

Myths are stories people tell to explain the great mysteries of life, such as birth and death, why the sun rises and sets, and why the moon changes in a predictable pattern.

I decided to start over from the end of the alphabet and work toward the beginning. I have a stack of index cards with information typed on them, all in alphabetical order. When I started this blog, I started at A, because I didn't realize that all the entries would be pushed down.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Sphinx

In Greek and Roman myth, a sphinx was a monster with a woman's bust and head, a lion's body, and an eagle's wings.

English word: The Sphinx is the famous landmark statue near the pyramids outside Cairo. From the same source, we get sphincter, a muscle that constricts a tube or opening in the body, keeping it tightly shut.

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