mermaid

From Middle English mermayde (“maid of the sea”), from mere (“sea, lake”) +‎ maid, equivalent to mer- +‎ maid. Cognate with Dutch meermeid (“mermaid”), Middle High German mermaget, mermeit ("mermaid"; > German Meermagd, Meermädchen (“mermaid”)). Compare Old English meremenn, meremennen, meremenin (“mermaid, siren”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɜːˌmeɪd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɝ.meɪd/

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mermaid (plural mermaids)

1. A mythological creature with a woman's head and upper body, and a tail of a fish.

   Synonyms: mergirl, merlady, mermaiden, merwoman

   Coordinate terms: melusine, nixie, siren

   Hypernym: merperson

   Hyponyms: mermother, merqueen

   Holonym: merfolk

2. (as a modifier) Coloured a brilliant turquoise.

   mermaid smoothie

3. (obsolete) A prostitute.

   Synonyms: hooker, lady of the night; see also Thesaurus:prostitute

   • 1601 (first performance), Thomas Dekker, Satiro-mastix. Or The Untrussing of the Humorous Poet. […], London: […] [Edward Allde] for Edward White, […], published 1602, →OCLC, 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: […]

• mermaid's purse
• mermaid skirt

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• mermaid on Wikipedia.Wikipedia