# sphinx

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsfɪŋks/ · frequency rank #29,100

## Definitions
1. A creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal, commonly a lion.
2. A person who keeps their thoughts and intentions secret; an enigmatic or impassive person.
3. A mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx), formerly classified as a baboon, and called sphinx baboon.
4. A sphinx moth.
5. A sphincter.

## Etymology
From Sphinx, from Middle English Spynx, from Latin Sphinx, from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx), perhaps either from σφίγγω (sphíngō, “to squeeze, to strangle”) (whence also sphincter), of Pre-Greek origin, or from Egyptian Szp:p-A53-anx-n:x (šzp-ꜥnḫ, “divine image”, literally “living image”).

## Easily confused with
- **spin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spin)
- **spine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spine)
- **spins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spins)
- **spina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spina)
- **spiny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spiny)
- **spring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spring)
- **sprint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-sprint)
- **spying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-spying)
- **splint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sphinx-vs-splint)
- **shin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shin-vs-sphinx)
- **Spain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spain-vs-sphinx)
- **shine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shine-vs-sphinx)
- **shiny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiny-vs-sphinx)

## Common misspellings (10)
`pshinx`, `shpinx`, `sphhinx`, `sphinnx`, `sphinxx`, `sphixn`, `sphnix`, `spihnx`, `spphinx`, `ssphinx`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sphinx