mermaid

noun

mer·​maid ˈmər-ˌmād 

: a fabled marine creature with the head and upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish

Examples of mermaid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the movie musical, the spirited mermaid swims to shore (against her father’s wishes) and saves a prince from drowning, ultimately making a deal with sea witch Ursula to become human. —Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 8 May 2024

For the first Monday in May, Union slipped into a glimmering ombré aqua Michael Kors mermaid gown, pairing it with a sheer polish reminiscent of the inside of a seashell. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 7 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mermayde, from mere sea (from Old English) + mayde maid — more at marine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mermaid

noun

mer·​maid ˈmər-ˌmād 

: an imaginary sea creature usually represented with a woman's body and a fish's tail

Etymology

Middle English mermayde "mermaid," from mere "lake, pool, sea" and mayde "maid"