mermaid
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English mermayde (“maid of the sea”), from mere (“sea, lake”) + maid, equivalent to mer- + maid. Compare Old English meremenn, meremennen, meremenin (“mermaid, siren”).
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
mermaid (plural mermaids)
- A mythological creature with a woman's head and upper body, and a tail of a fish.
- (as a modifier) Coloured a brilliant turquoise.
- mermaid smoothie
- (obsolete) A prostitute.
- Synonyms: hooker, lady of the night; see also Thesaurus:prostitute
- 1601 (first performance), Thomas Dekker, Satiro-mastix. Or The Vntrussing of the Humorous Poet. […], London: […] [Edward Allde] for Edward White, […], published 1602, OCLC 837266771, signature H2, recto:
- A Gentleman or an honeſt Cittizen, ſhall not Sit in your pennie-bench Theaters, vvith his Squirrell by his ſide cracking nuttes; nor ſneake into a Tauerne vvith his Mermaid; but he ſhall be Satyr'd and Epigram'd vpon, and his humour muſt run vpo'th Stage: […]
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
mythological woman with a fish’s tail
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Further reading[edit]
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- Middle English compound words
- English words prefixed with mer-
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms with quotations
- Translingual translations
- en:Blues
- en:Merpeople
- en:People
- en:Prostitution