harpy

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}]
    

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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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
    

61 Moby Thesaurus words for "harpy":
      Argus, Briareus, Cerberus, Charybdis, Cyclops, Echidna, Gorgon,
      Harpy, Hydra, Loch Ness monster, Medusa, Minotaur, Pegasus, Python,
      Scylla, Sphinx, Talos, Typhon, Xanthippe, amazon, blackmailer,
      bloodsucker, centaur, chimera, cockatrice, dragon, drake,
      extortionist, fishwife, griffin, hippocampus, leech, mermaid,
      merman, nixie, ogre, ogress, predator, profiteer, racketeer,
      raptor, roc, salamander, satyr, scold, sea horse, sea serpent,
      shakedown artist, shark, shrew, siren, termagant, troll, unicorn,
      vampire, vixen, vulture, werewolf, windigo, xiphopagus, zombie