esfinge
/esˈfinxe/feminine
The Spanish word for sphinx is esfinge.
esfinge is a noun used to describe 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)
Which one should you use?
While esfinge refers to the general mythological creature, the capitalized form Esfinge is used as a proper name when referring specifically to the Greek mythological creature or the large monument in Egypt.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun esfinge is feminine, so it is used with the feminine article la to say la esfinge (the sphinx).
How do you pronounce it?
/esˈfinxe/
Did you know?
- While esfinge describes the creature, the Spanish word for 'riddle' is acertijo. This separates the monster from the puzzle it tells, whereas in English, 'sphinx' is often used to mean the riddle itself.
- The word esfinge can also be used metaphorically in Spanish to describe a person who is inscrutable or difficult to read, much like the silent gaze of a statue.
- The Spanish esfinge is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'sphinx', as both trace their roots back to the Ancient Greek word Σφίγξ.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué es una esfinge?What is a sphinx?This sentence is useful for asking for a definition of esfinge.Tatoeba #13646625 by Seael, translation #10791580 by LW
- La esfinge aulló de rabia.The Sphinx howled with rage.This sentence shows esfinge being used as the subject of a sentence.Tatoeba #998377 by Shishir, translation #22286 by shekitten
- La Esfinge es la estatua más grande en Egipto.The Sphinx is the largest statue in Egypt.This sentence uses Esfinge as a proper name for the monument in Egypt.Tatoeba #2740737 by emanuel81, translation #2740395 by Hybrid
- El egiptólogo estudió la esfinge durante años.The Egyptologist studied the sphinx for years.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are looking at a book about ancient myths.
- Javier¿Sabes qué es una esfinge, Sofía?Do you know what a sphinx is, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, es un ser mitológico con cabeza humana.Yes, it is a mythological being with a human head.
- Javier¡Exacto! Es fascinante cómo la describen.Exactly! It is fascinating how they describe it.
- SofíaEs un tema muy interesante de leer.It is a very interesting subject to read.
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.
