mermaid

John W. Waterhouse, A Mermaid, 1900

Meaning

Noun

A mythological creature with a woman's head and upper body, and a tail of a fish.
Coloured a brilliant turquoise.
A prostitute.

Origin

From Middle English mermayde ("maid of the sea"), from mere + maid, equivalent to mer- + maid. Compare Old English meremenn, meremennen, meremenin.

Modern English dictionary

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