in egyptian art, an image of granite or porphyry, having a human head, or the head of a ram or of a hawk, upon the wingless body of a lion.-on greek art and mythology, a she-monster, usually represented as having the winged body of a lion, and the face and breast of a young woman.-hence: a person of enigmatical character and purposes, especially in politics and diplomacy.-any one of numerous species of large moths of the family sphingidae; -- called also hawk moth.-the guinea, or sphinx, baboon (cynocephalus sphinx).