Greif
/ɡʁaɪ̯f/masculine
The German word for "griffin" is Greif.
Greif refers to the mythical creature characterized by the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.
Meaning: mythical creature with the body of a lion and head and wings of an eagle (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Greif is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡʁaɪ̯f/
Did you know?
- The name of the creature is a linguistic 'doublet' of the word 'Cherub', meaning they may share a distant, ancient root.
- The word Greif is used in the German term Greifvogel, which refers to any bird of prey.
- In German folklore, the Greif was often believed to guard gold mines and hidden treasures more fiercely than a dragon.
Examples in context
- Der Greif ist ein mächtiges Wesen.The griffin is a powerful creature.
- Ein Greif hat Flügel eines Adlers.A griffin has the wings of an eagle.
- Siehst du den Greif auf dem Bild?Do you see the griffin in the picture?
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at an old storybook in a library.
- JulianSchau mal, hier ist ein Greif.Look, here is a griffin.
- SarahEr sieht in dem Buch toll aus.He looks great in the book.
- JulianDer Greif ist wirklich sehr beeindruckend.The griffin is really very impressive.
- SarahJa, das ist ein fantastisches Wesen.Yes, that is a fantastic creature.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “griffin” translations and entries Greif, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Greif, CC BY-SA 4.0.
