jellyfish

American  

[jel-ee-fish] / ˈdʒɛl iˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

jellyfish,

plural

jellyfishes

1. any of various marine coelenterates of a soft, gelatinous structure, especially one with an umbrellalike body and long, trailing tentacles; medusa.

2. Informal. a person without strong resolve or stamina; an indecisive or weak person.

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jellyfish British  

/ ˈdʒɛlɪˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any marine medusoid coelenterate of the class Scyphozoa, having a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body with trailing tentacles

2. any other medusoid coelenterate

3. informal a weak indecisive person

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Etymology

Origin of jellyfish

1700–10; 1910–15 jellyfish for def. 2; jelly + fish

Example Sentences

The last time these researchers spotted this type of “extraordinary octopus,” the creature was also holding part of a jellyfish, which at the time helped scientists understand its surprising diet of gelatinous animals.

From Los Angeles Times

While you can’t help but appreciate the cherry red of the deep-sea atolla jellyfish, you will also learn why its unusual pigment persists in the lightless depths.

From The Wall Street Journal

There’s a submarine landscape of bubbles and jellyfish; a radiant garden of flowers; a battle with flying swords and shields and a swirling snake puppet.

From The Wall Street Journal

Now and then a great jellyfish floated by, like an open umbrella made of glass, pulsing its way along just beneath the surface.

From Literature

Birds often swallow plastic fragments, and turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish.

From BBC

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