mermaid

[ mur-meyd ]

/ ˈmɜrˌmeɪd /

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noun

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

a highly skilled female swimmer.

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Origin of mermaid

First recorded in 1300–50, mermaid is from the Middle English word mermayde.See mere², maid

Words nearby mermaid

Merleau-Ponty, merlin, Merlo, merlon, Merlot, mermaid, mermaid's purse, mermaid's wineglass, Mermaid Tavern, mermaid weed, merman

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use mermaid in a sentence

I am starting to paint a mermaid canvas and it has so many details.
'A Year Full of Emotions.' What Kids Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic|Allison Singer|June 12, 2021|Time
They could have created mermaids — half man, half fish — or fauns — half man, half goat — or any other combination.
How do you build a centaur?|Bethany Brookshire|February 10, 2021|Science News For Students
Options include Winnie the Pooh, jungle toile, mermaids, nature, paisley, and over 30 more prints.
Swaddles to keep your little one cozy and comfortable|PopSci Commerce Team|January 11, 2021|Popular Science
Dora is seen getting dressed as a mermaid by a cursor being manned by some omniscient game player.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

“What The Little Mermaid Taught Us About Being Grown-Ups,” Vanity Fair commemorated in a GIF-laden post.
When the Religious Right Attacked ‘The Little Mermaid’|Asawin Suebsaeng|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Little Mermaid was also a target of the Christian right in the 1990s.
When the Religious Right Attacked ‘The Little Mermaid’|Asawin Suebsaeng|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She occasionally has to dress up as a mermaid for her gig at a fancy Miami hotel.
‘Jane the Virgin’ Is The CW’s Best Show Ever|Amy Zimmerman|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We already knew Florida was the capital of kitsch, but the Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show just outside Tampa takes it to a new level.
The World’s Craziest Underwater Adventures|Nina Strochlic|May 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Mermaid drove, but it was not considered to be caused by the nature of the bottom, which is of soft sand, and free from rocks.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The Mermaid was nearly lost in attempting to cross the latter reef.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The entrance is defended by a bar, on which the Mermaid was nearly lost.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
I did not succeed in finding them, although the Mermaid sailed close to their position.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The Mermaid's track will direct the course to Cape Melville.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King

British Dictionary definitions for mermaid

mermaid

/ (ˈmɜːˌmeɪd) /

noun

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

Word Origin for mermaid

C14: from mere lake, inlet + maid

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for mermaid

mermaid

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.

mermaid

noun

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Origin of mermaid

Words nearby mermaid

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How to use mermaid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mermaid

noun

Word Origin for mermaid

Cultural definitions for mermaid