MEDUSA

medusa, medusoid, medusan

(noun) one of two forms that coelenterates take: it is the free-swimming sexual phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate; in this phase it has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles

Medusa

(noun) (Greek mythology) a woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

medusa (plural medusas or medusae or medusæ)

A jellyfish; specifically (zoology), a non-polyp form of individual cnidarians, consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. [from 18th c.]

Synonyms

• (non-polyp form of cnidarian): jelly, jellyfish

Anagrams

• amused, sea mud

Etymology

Proper noun

Medusa

(Greek mythology) The only mortal of the three gorgon sisters. She is killed by Perseus. The other two sisters were Euryale and Stheno.

Anagrams

• amused, sea mud

Source: Wiktionary

Me*du"sa, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Class. Myth.)

Definition: The Gorgon; or one of the Gorgons whose hair was changed into serpents, after which all who looked upon her were turned into stone.

2. [pl. Medusae (.] (Zoöl.)

Definition: Any free swimming acaleph; a jellyfish.

Note: The larger medusæ belong to the Discophora, and are sometimes called covered-eyed medusæ; others, known as naked-eyed medusæ, belong to the Hydroidea, and are usually developed by budding from hidroids. See Discophora, Hydroidea, and Hydromedusa. Medusa bud (Zoöl.), one of the buds of a hydroid, destined to develop into a gonophore or medusa. See Athecata, and Gonotheca.

– Medusa's head. (a) (Zoöl.) An astrophyton. (b) (Astron.) A cluster of stars in the constellation Perseus. It contains the bright star Algol.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition