Mermaid
Mermaid
Mermaid (/ˈmɜːrmeɪd/; from Middle English mere, "sea", and maid, "girl") is a legendary aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a human female and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including the Near East, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Etymology
The word mermaid is a compound of the Old English mere (sea), and maid (a girl or young woman). The equivalent term in Old English was merewif. They are conventionally depicted as beautiful with long flowing hair.
Related Terms
- Siren: In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.
- Nymph: A mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations.
- Naiad: In Greek mythology, Naiads were a type of female spirit, or nymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water.
- Undine: Undines are elemental beings associated with water, first named in the alchemical writings of Paracelsus.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Mermaid
- Wikipedia's article - Mermaid
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