hydra

[ hahy-druh ]

noun

plural: hydras hydrae [hahy, -dree] genitive: Hydrae [hahy, -dree].

1. Often Hydra. Classical Mythology. a water or marsh serpent with nine heads, each of which, if cut off, grew back as two; Hercules killed this serpent by cauterizing the necks as he cut off the heads.
2. any freshwater polyp of the genus Hydra and related genera, having a cylindrical body with a ring of tentacles surrounding the mouth, and usually living attached to rocks, plants, etc., but also capable of detaching and floating in the water.
3. a persistent or many-sided problem that presents new obstacles as soon as one aspect is solved.
4. genitive Hydrae [hahy, -dree]. (initial capital letter) Astronomy. the Sea Serpent, a large southern constellation extending through 90° of the sky, being the longest of all constellations.

hydra

¹

/ ˈhaɪdrə /

noun

1. any solitary freshwater hydroid coelenterate of the genus Hydra, in which the body is a slender polyp with tentacles around the mouth
2. a persistent trouble or evil

   the hydra of the Irish problem

Hydra

²

/ ˈhaɪdrə /

noun

1. Greek myth a monster with nine heads, each of which, when struck off, was replaced by two new ones

Hydra

³

/ ˈhaɪdrə /

noun

1. a very long faint constellation lying mainly in the S hemisphere and extending from near Virgo to Cancer

hydra

/ hī′drə /

, Plural hydras hī′drē

1. See under hydroid

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydra¹

First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin hydra, from Greek hýdrā “water serpent” (replacing Middle English ydre, from Middle French, from Latin); otter

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydra¹

C16: from Latin, from Greek hudra water serpent; compare otter

Example Sentences

But this may be like the Hydra, where something new can grow in its place.

From The Daily Beast

Antifragile things, meanwhile, are strengthened by it—just as Hydra grows stronger and more multiheaded with every decapitation.

From The Daily Beast

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article confused the monster Hydra with Medusa.

From The Daily Beast

The gang is a hydra, he said, and Suffolk County has seen fluctuations in gang activity.

From The Daily Beast

But the animal itself is the same "hydra-headed monster," let whomsoever may fancy to pet it.

From Project Gutenberg

I aimed at the many-headed hydra whose visible representative was Frick.

From Project Gutenberg

The Homestead developments had given him temporary prominence, thrown this particular hydra-head into bold relief, so to speak.

From Project Gutenberg

Evil complicates, by one knows not what hydra-headed monstrosity, the vast, cosmic whole.

From Project Gutenberg

Navigation everywhere contends with the same monster; the sea is one hydra.

From Project Gutenberg

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