Definition of "hippogriff" [hip•po•griff]

• Mythology A monster having the wings, claws, and head of a griffin and the body and hindquarters of a horse. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "On closer scrutiny, we find that this creature, as fabled as the hippogriff, is just as uncertain as everyone else."
• "The hippogriff is said to be an omnivore, eating either plants or meat."
• "A hippogriff is a noble beast: In the few medieval legends when this fantastic creature makes an appearance, it is usually the pet of either a knight or a sorcerer."