medusa

¹ American  

[muh-doo-suh, -zuh, -dyoo-] / məˈdu sə, -zə, -ˈdyu- /

noun

Zoology.

plural

medusas, medusae

1. a saucer-shaped or dome-shaped, free-swimming jellyfish or hydra.

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Medusa ² American  

[muh-doo-suh, -zuh, -dyoo-] / məˈdu sə, -zə, -ˈdyu- /

noun

Classical Mythology.

plural

Medusas

1. the only mortal of the three Gorgons. She was killed by Perseus, and her head was mounted upon the aegis of Zeus and Athena.

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Medusa ¹ British  

/ mɪˈdjuːzə /

noun

1. Greek myth a mortal woman who was transformed by Athena into one of the three Gorgons. Her appearance was so hideous that those who looked directly at her were turned to stone. Perseus eventually slew her See also Pegasus 1

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medusa ² British  

/ mɪˈdjuːzə /

noun

1. another name for jellyfish jellyfish

2. Also called: medusoid.   medusan.  one of the two forms in which a coelenterate exists. It has a jelly-like umbrella-shaped body, is free swimming, and produces gametes Compare polyp

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medusa Scientific  

/ mĭ-do̅o̅′sə /

plural

medusas

1. A cnidarian in its free-swimming stage. Medusas are bell-shaped, with tentacles hanging down around a central mouth. Jellyfish are medusas, while corals and sea anemones lack a medusa stage and exist only as polyps.

2. Compare polyp

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Medusa Cultural  

1. The best known of the monster Gorgons of classical mythology; people who looked at her would turn to stone. A hero, Perseus, was able to kill Medusa, aiming his sword by looking at her reflection in a highly polished shield.

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Other Word Forms

• Medusan adjective
• medusan adjective
• medusoid adjective

Etymology

Origin of medusa¹

1750–60; special use of Medusa, alluding to the Gorgon's snaky locks

Origin of Medusa²

< Latin < Greek Médousa, special use of médousa, feminine of médōn ruling

Example Sentences

A jellyfish begins its life cycle as an anemone-like creature on the sea floor before undergoing a metamorphosis and sprouting into a recognizable medusa — that Pacman ghost shape we're all familiar with.

From Salon • Aug. 2, 2023

Scientists prefer the term jelly or medusa over jellyfish because the creatures are not fish.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2022

A black floor-length gown with undulating straps could have been a poisonous medusa, with coral-red dye bleeding down its multi-layered skirt.

From Washington Times • Jan. 20, 2020

She conjures a lineage of threatening archetypes: the harpy and her talons, the witch and her spells, the medusa and her writhing locks.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2018

Then they have taken the form of a medusa.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin