| / English Dictionary |
MEDUSA
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Irregular inflected form: medusae
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
One of two forms that coelenterates take: it is the free-swimming sexual phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate; in this phase it has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("medusa" is a kind of...):
cnidarian; coelenterate (radially symmetrical animals having saclike bodies with only one opening and tentacles with stinging structures; they occur in polyp and medusa forms)
Holonyms ("medusa" is a member of...):
Cnidaria; Coelenterata; phylum Cnidaria; phylum Coelenterata (hydras; polyps; jellyfishes; sea anemones; corals)
Sense 2
Meaning:
(Greek mythology) a woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("Medusa" is a kind of...):
Gorgon ((Greek mythology) any of three winged sister monsters and the mortal Medusa who had live snakes for hair; a glance at Medusa turned the beholder to stone)
Domain category:
Greek mythology (the mythology of the ancient Greeks)
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