manticore

[ man-ti-kawr, -kohr ]

noun

1. a legendary monster with a man's head, horns, a lion's body, and the tail of a dragon or, sometimes, a scorpion.

manticore

/ ˈmæntɪˌkɔː /

noun

1. a monster with a lion's body, a scorpion's tail, and a man's head with three rows of teeth. It roamed the jungles of India and, like the Sphinx, would ask travellers a riddle and kill them when they failed to answer it

Word History and Origins

Origin of manticore¹

1300–50; Middle English < Latin mantichōrās < Greek, erroneous reading for martichṓras < Iranian; compare Old Persian martiya- man, Avestan xvar- devour, Persian mardom-khar < man-eating; probably ultimately alluding to the tiger, once common in the Caspian Sea region

Word History and Origins

Origin of manticore¹

C21: from Latin manticora , from Greek mantichōrās , corruption of martichorās , from Persian mardkhora man-eater

Example Sentences

He saw Nico and his sister on a snowy cliff in Maine, Percy Jackson protecting them from a manticore.

From Literature

Its residents include elves, fairies, centaurs, manticores and at least one queer cyclops.

From Los Angeles Times

Either way, by the time “Onward” has wrapped its journey, it will probably be the only movie with a manticore to make you cry.

From Washington Times

The shield had been badly damaged in a manticore attack last winter, but now it was perfect again—not a scratch.

From Literature

“We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said.”

From Literature