mermaid

[ mur-meyd ]

noun

1. (in folklore) a female marine creature, having the head, torso, and arms of a woman and the tail of a fish.
2. a highly skilled female swimmer.

mermaid

/ ˈmɜːˌmeɪd /

noun

1. an imaginary sea creature fabled to have a woman's head and upper body and a fish's tail

mermaid

1. A legendary marine creature with the head and torso of a woman and the tail of a fish; the masculine, less well-known equivalent is a merman. Though linked to the classical Sirens , mermaids may be nothing more than sailors' fanciful reports of the playful antics of dugongs or manatees.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mermaid¹

First recorded in 1300–50, mermaid is from the Middle English word mermayde. See mere ², maid

Word History and Origins

Origin of mermaid¹

C14: from mere lake, inlet + maid

Example Sentences

That was followed by Alpha Male diatribes on book banning, the Black “Little Mermaid,” Trump’s mug shot, ruminations on Hunter Biden’s laptop and swipes at President Biden, whom he calls “Papa Long Hugs.”

From Los Angeles Times

While prepping my ingredients for this snapper, I channeled Chef Louis from The Little Mermaid.

From Salon

A graceful mermaid swimming around in an industrial-strength water treatment plant in Lithuanian artist Emilija Škarnulytė’s film “Riparia” becomes a perilous siren, luring the unsuspecting to the rocks.

From Los Angeles Times

Reading Winnie-the-Pooh to her little boy, going to the skating rink, watching The Little Mermaid, Hunter’s favorite movie.

From Slate

“It’s a very unique studio, because they create all their own ballets,” she said, including interpretations of Disney titles like “Peter Pan,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Snow White” and “Alice in Wonderland.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gnome
• goblin
• imp
• leprechaun