Mermaidens

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mythical creature depicted as having the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish; representing beauty and allure in folklore and oceanic tales
2. A legendary being often associated with the sea, characterized by a combination of human and aquatic features, symbolizing both enchantment and danger
3. An enchanting figure from mythology that embodies elements of both femininity and marine life, often linked to sailor lore and mythos

Etymology: "Mermaidens" is the plural of "mermaiden," a poetic word that combines "mermaid" with "maiden," the older English word for a young unmarried woman. The "mer-" element comes from Old English "mere," which meant "sea" or "lake" and is related to Latin "mare." So a mermaid was originally a "sea-maid," and the plural points back to the same sea-and-maiden pairing. Because "mermaid" already contains "maid," the poetic "mermaiden" doubles the idea of a young woman, which suits the ballads and verse where these figures usually appear.

Synonyms: mermaids, sea maidens