merman

Meaning

Noun

• A legendary creature, human male from the waist up, fishlike from the waist down.

Related

Similar words

• merguy (informal)

Narrower meaning words

• merboy
• merfather

Broader meaning words

• merperson

Origin

• From Middle English mereman, from Old English *meremann ("merman") (suggested by Old English meremenn, meremennen, meremenin, equivalent to mer- + man. Cognate with Dutch meerman ("merman"), German Meermann ("merman").