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. 2022

How to use mermaid in a sentence

While Kingman and his crew did indeed survive this “grand conflagration,” tales of seas that glow have popped up alongside mermaids and dragons in nautical lore throughout the ages.
Trillions of Bacteria Are Screaming with Light - Issue 108: Change|Rebecca R. Helm|November 3, 2021|Nautilus
She got her start swimming in her grandparents’ pool, where she pretended to be a mermaid.
Everything You Need to Know About the Paralympics|awise|August 23, 2021|Outside Online
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

Origin of mermaid

Words nearby mermaid

Words related to mermaid

How to use mermaid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mermaid

Word Origin for mermaid

Cultural definitions for mermaid