MERMAID

mermaid

(noun) half woman and half fish; lives in the sea

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

mermaid (plural mermaids)

A mythological creature with a woman's head and upper body, and a tail of a fish.

(as a modifier) Coloured a brilliant turquoise.

(obsolete) A prostitute.

Synonyms

• (mythological creature): mergirl, merlady, mermaiden, merwoman

• (prostitute): hooker, lady of the night; see also prostitute

Hypernyms

• (mythological creature):merperson

Hyponyms

• (mythological creature): mermother, merqueen

Holonyms

• (mythological creature): merfolk

Coordinate terms

• (mythological creature): melusine, nixie, siren

Source: Wiktionary


Mer"maid, n. Etym: [AS. mere lake, sea. See Mere lake, and maid.]

Definition: A fabled marine creature, typically represented as having the upper part like that of a woman, and the lower like a fish; a sea nymph, sea woman, or woman fish.

Note: Chaucer uses this word as equivalent to the siren of the ancients. Mermaid fish (Zoöl.) the angel fish (Squatina).

– Mermaid's glove (Zoöl.), a British branched sponge somewhat resembling a glove.

– Mermaid's head (Zoöl.), a European spatangoid sea urchin (Echinocardium cordatum) having some resemblance to a skull.

– Mermaid weed (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dentate or pectinate leaves (Proserpinaca palustris and P. pectinacea).

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

1 January 2025

SOLICITOUSLY

(adverb) in a concerned and solicitous manner; “‘Don’t you feel well?’ his mother asked solicitously”


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