Harpy vs. Succubus — What's the Difference?

In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, a harpy (plural harpies, Ancient Greek: ἅρπυια, harpyia, pronounced [hárpyi̯a]; Latin: harpȳia) is a half-human and half-bird personification of storm winds. They feature in Homeric poems.

A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious traditions, repeated sexual activity with a succubus can cause poor physical or mental health, even death.

A rapacious monster described as having a woman's head and body and a bird's wings and claws or depicted as a bird of prey with a woman's face.

A female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men.

A grasping, unpleasant woman

A female demon supposed to descend upon and have sexual intercourse with a man while he sleeps.

Greek Mythology One of several loathsome, voracious monsters with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail, wings, and talons of a bird.

An evil spirit; a demon.

Harpy A predatory person.

(medieval folklore) A female demon which comes to men, especially monks, in their dreams to seduce them and have sexual intercourse, drawing energy from the men to sustain themselves, often until the point of exhaustion or death.

Harpy A shrewish woman.

A strumpet, whore or prostitute.

(mythological creature) A mythological creature generally depicted as a bird-of-prey with the head of maiden, a face pale with hunger and long claws on her hands personifying the destructive power of storm winds.

A demon or fiend; especially, a lascivious spirit supposed to have sexual intercourse with the men by night; a succuba. Cf. Incubus.

(derogatory) A shrewish woman.

The nightmare. See Nightmare, 2.

One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.

A female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men

The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus).

A large and powerful double-crested, short-winged American eagle (Harpia harpyja).

A fabulous winged monster, ravenous and filthy, having the face of a woman and the body of a vulture, with long claws, and the face pale with hunger. Some writers mention two, others three.

One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner.

The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus æruginosus).

A malicious fierce-tempered woman

(Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman

Any of various fruit bats of the genus Nyctimene distinguished by nostrils drawn out into diverging tubes

Large black-and-white crested eagle of tropical America