merman
noun
(in folklore) a male marine creature, having the head, torso, and arms of a man and the tail of a fish.
merman
1 American
[mur-man]
/ ˈmɜrˌmæn /
noun
-
mermen
plural
-
(in folklore) a male marine creature, having the head, torso, and arms of a man and the tail of a fish.
-
a highly skilled male swimmer.
Merman
2
American
[mur-muhn]
/ ˈmɜr mən /
noun
merman
British
/ ˈmɜːˌmæn /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of merman
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Louie’s face appears on a merman swimming near a shipwreck.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025
But the first mermaid that comes into focus doesn’t so much evoke wonder as it does a flashback of Ben Stiller’s merman in “Zoolander.”
From Washington Times ● May 23, 2023
One merman even ventured into a local tavern, where he splayed himself out atop the bar, puffing a long cigarette.
From Slate ● Jan. 24, 2020
But Mr. Van Ness was not feeling his normal gorgeous self, the boisterous “Yass queen” merman that fans of “Queer Eye” adore.
From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2019
The wing spun through the air, bounced off the merman, and landed with a loud thump on the platform.
From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
Ethel Merman picked up a wine glass and gently squeezed the top.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026
Jerry Zucker: In terms of Ethel Merman and Barbara Billingsley, we thought of a joke: "What if someone said he thinks he's Ethel Merman, and it was her?"
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2023
On a late Sunday afternoon in March, energy pulses at the Mountain Merman Brewing Company — one of the few bars in town.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2023
Stepping into the notorious stage mother role that Ethel Merman originated, Lansbury knew that she couldn’t compete with her predecessor’s raw theatrical power.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2022
“That Ethel Merman can really belt it out.”
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeff Hillyard was working as a forklift salesman when he saw a call on Facebook for guys willing to pose as mermen.
From Slate ● Jan. 24, 2020
The TV production stars what appear to be very young versions of mermaids and mermen in stories that teach basic math, reading and social skills.
From New York Times ● Apr. 12, 2018
Dive Bar’s 40-foot-long aquarium, located above the main bar, holds 7,500 gallons of saltwater, 60-some tropical fish and, on occasion, mermaids and mermen.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2018
Chandler of the Merfest, in particular, deals with them as one of the few males, called mermen, who put on a tail - which he does for “fun and exercise,” not for money.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 15, 2015
Only bubbles flew out of his mouth, but he had the distinct impression that the mermen had understood him, because they suddenly stopped laughing.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
