harpagon

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.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑː(ɹ)pəɡɒn/

harpagon (plural harpagons)

1. (obsolete) A grappling hook.

• agraphon

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”).

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

harpagon m (plural harpagons, feminine harpagonne)

1. A very miserly and selfish person.

   Synonym: avare

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

• harpagonnerie

• → Italian: arpagone
• Romanian: harpagon, arpagon

• “harpagon” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).