HyphenateIt
Word Analysis

sphinx

Learn how to correctly hyphenate "sphinx" with detailed syllable breakdown and pronunciation guide.

1 syllable
6 characters
English (US)
1syllable

sphinx

Hyphenation via the Knuth-Liang algorithm — result not verified against authoritative sources.

Because it is a word with a single syllable, sphinx is not hyphenated. The words that have a single syllable are called monosyllabic words.

Using the Knuth-Liang algorithm, we calculated the hyphenation for the word you’ve entered. However, this hyphenation has not been verified against authoritative sources and may be approximate. This is because the algorithm relies on pre-defined patterns that may not cover all exceptions, contextual variations, or irregular spellings. We are working to verify hyphenations against trusted sources to ensure greater accuracy.

Definitions ofsphinx

1noun
  • A creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal (commonly a lion).
  • A person who keeps his/her thoughts and intentions secret; an enigmatic person.
  • A mandrill, Mandrillus sphinx, formerly classified a baboon, and called sphinx baboon.
  • A sphinx moth.
  • A sphincter.
1verb
  • To decorate with sphinxes

    Example: "a marble sphinxed chimney-piece"

  • To adopt the posture of the Sphinx.

    Example: "A hot lion with a very bloated stomach ... will adopt either a sphinxed or a squatting posture which takes some of the weight off its belly."

  • To be inscrutable, often through silence

    Example: "(1900) The sphinxèd riddle of the Universe / Nature's unsolved enigma, who may prove?"

  • To make one guess at the unknowable

    Example: "(1933) Perhaps Nature is sphinxing us on purpose. Whatever her objects may be, perhaps she gets her work done better when she appeals to our gambling instincts. If you knew for certain exactly how your marriage was going to turn out ..."

  • To befuddle

    Example: "(2010) She swiveled and sphinxed Giles. 'And you, I suppose you've never been here either?' Giles squirmed. 'Well, I – that is, Miss Wh—, I mean, Miss Taylor, I –' He looked to me for rescue."

  • For the feminine to co-opt, dominate, or devour the masculine, especially from a paranoid fear of this happening

    Example: "(1986) modernism's fears of being sphinxed by a feminized mass culture"

Nearby Words

17 words
sphinx(current)
Open AI Chat