Library / English Dictionary

MEDUSA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: medusae   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

One of two forms that coelenterates take: it is the free-swimming sexual phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate; in this phase it has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles

Synonyms:

medusa; medusan; medusoid

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("medusa" is a kind of...):

cnidarian; coelenterate (radially symmetrical animals having saclike bodies with only one opening and tentacles with stinging structures; they occur in polyp and medusa forms)

Holonyms ("medusa" is a member of...):

Cnidaria; Coelenterata; phylum Cnidaria; phylum Coelenterata (hydras; polyps; jellyfishes; sea anemones; corals)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(Greek mythology) a woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Medusa" is a kind of...):

Gorgon ((Greek mythology) any of three winged sister monsters and the mortal Medusa who had live snakes for hair; a glance at Medusa turned the beholder to stone)

Domain category:

Greek mythology (the mythology of the ancient Greeks)

Credits