Definition

A mythical creature that has the head of a human, the body of a lion, and a tail that resembles a dragon or scorpion.

Example

In ancient stories, the manticore was feared for its deadly sting and fierce appearance.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a manticore?

Yeah, it's that mythical creature with the body of a lion, right?

Exactly! I read that it also has the head of a man and a scorpion's tail.

That's so wild! I love those kinds of legends.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

**Manticore** → The word 'manticore' comes from the Latin 'mantichora', which is derived from the Greek 'manticora' (meaning man-eater). The Greek term itself is borrowed from the Persian 'mardikhorā', where 'mard' means man and 'khora' means eater. Thus, the word 'manticore' refers to a creature that eats men.

Memory Tip

Imagine a creature that 'eats' ('khora') 'men' ('mard') — that's why a manticore is known as a man-eater.

Visually Confused Words