harpagon

See also: Harpagon

English

Etymology

Adapted from Latin harpagō, gen. harpagōnis, from Ancient Greek ἁρπάγη (harpágē, “hook”), from ἁρπάζω (harpázō, “to snatch away, to carry off, to seize, to captivate”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of harpoon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑː(ɹ)pəɡɒn/

Noun

harpagon (plural harpagons)

1. (obsolete) A grappling hook.

Anagrams

• agraphon

French

Etymology

Named after Harpagon, the protagonist of Molière's The Miser (1668), whose name is an adaptation of Latin harpagō, gen. harpagōnis (“grappling hook, grappling iron”), from Ancient Greek ἁρπάγη (harpágē, “hook”), from ἁρπάζω (harpázō, “to snatch away, to carry off, to seize, to captivate”), of uncertain origin, and whence also harpon (“harpoon”).

Pronunciation

• ^{(mute h)} IPA^(key): /aʁ.pa.ɡɔ̃/
• Rhymes: -ɔ̃

Noun

harpagon m (plural harpagons, feminine harpagonne)

1. a very miserly and selfish person

   Synonym: avare

Usage notes

• The feminine form is much less common than its masculine counterpart.

Derived terms

• harpagonnerie

Descendants

• → Italian: arpagone
• → Romanian: harpagon, arpagon

Further reading

• “harpagon”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Paronyms

• Arpajon
• Arpavon

 

Romanian

Alternative forms

• arpagon

Etymology

Borrowed from French harpagon.

Noun

harpagon m (plural harpagoni)

1. miser, a selfish person

Declension

Declension of harpagon

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) harpagon	harpagonul	(niște) harpagoni	harpagonii
genitive/dative	(unui) harpagon	harpagonului	(unor) harpagoni	harpagonilor
vocative	harpagonule		harpagonilor