esfinge
/isˈfĩ.ʒi/feminine
In Portuguese, the English word sphinx is esfinge.
The term refers to a mythological creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal.
Meaning: mythology: creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal (noun)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. It is pronounced /isˈfĩ.ʒi/.
Did you know?
- The word esfinge shares its exact linguistic ancestor with the English 'sphinx', both descending from the Greek word for 'the strangler'.
- The word esfinge is a feminine noun in Portuguese, regardless of whether the mythological creature it refers to is male or female.
- In some Portuguese poetic contexts, an esfinge can refer to a riddle that is not just difficult, but fundamentally unsolvable.
Examples in context
- A "Grande Esfinge de Tânis", do antigo Egito, data de há mais de quatro mil e seiscentos anos. Esta estátua de pedra tem o corpo de um leão e a cabeça de um soberano egípcio. Ela exprime um sentido de permanência e de solidez.“The Great Sphinx of Tanis” from ancient Egypt dates back over four thousand six hundred years. This stone statue has the body of a lion and the head of an Egyptian ruler. It expresses a sense of permanence and solidity.This sentence provides context for the historical and physical description of the esfinge.Tatoeba #12214054 by Cangarejo, translation #12214053 by Cangarejo
- A esfinge é uma figura mitológica da cultura egípcia.The sphinx is a mythological figure from Egyptian culture.
- Era uma vez uma esfinxinha que guardava um tesouro mágico.Once upon a time, there was a little sphinx that guarded a magical treasure.
- A esfinge é um monstro lendário.The sphinx is a legendary monster.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a mythology textbook in a library.
- FelipeVocê viu a ilustração da esfinge no livro?Did you see the illustration of the sphinx in the book?
- MarianaVi sim, ela é muito impressionante.I did, it is very impressive.
- FelipeEla parece uma criatura bem assustadora.It looks like a very scary creature.
- MarianaÉ, o desenho destaca bem o corpo de leão.Yes, the drawing highlights the lion body well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sphinx” translations and entries esfinge, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esfinge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
