Mermaid
Pronunciation : Mer"maid
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [AS. mere lake, sea. See Mere lake, and maid.]
Definition : Defn: A fabled marine creature, typically represented as having the upper part like that of a woman, and the lower like a fish; a sea nymph, sea woman, or woman fish.
Note: Chaucer uses this word as equivalent to the siren of the ancients. Mermaid fish (Zo?l.) the angel fish (Squatina). -- Mermaid's glove (Zo?l.), a British branched sponge somewhat resembling a glove. -- Mermaid's head (Zo?l.), a European spatangoid sea urchin (Echinocardium cordatum) having some resemblance to a skull. -- Mermaid weed (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dentate or pectinate leaves (Proserpinaca palustris and P. pectinacea).
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913