mermaid English · revision 967

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɜːˌmeɪd/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmɝ.meɪd/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ A Middle English compound of ''mere'' “sea, lake” and [[maid]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) literally “maid of the sea”.^(Etymonline) ''Mere'' is [[inh|ang|mere|t=sea, lake]].^(MW Collegiate) Old English had the related ''merewīf'' “water-witch” and ''meremenn'' “mermaid, siren”.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An imaginary sea creature with the head and body of a woman and the tail of a fish (about 1350 in Barnhart; c. 1386 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In northern Europe the water spirits were tailless; the fish-tailed form was a medieval influence from the classical [[siren]], and mermaids were sometimes said to lure sailors to their death with song.^(Etymonline) The mermaid was a favourite sign for inns and taverns from the early 15th century (1428),^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and in the 16th and 17th centuries the word could mean a prostitute.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary) Jocularly, a woman at home in the water, a skilled swimmer, is a mermaid (1590).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – the legendary sea creature.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1428 – a sign for an inn or tavern.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1590 – a woman who swims well.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1622 – the manatee or similar animals (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A legendary sea creature with the head and upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A woman who is a very skilled swimmer.^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mermaid's purse]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[merman]]

+ * [[mere]]

+ * [[siren]]

+ * [[marine]]

+ * [[selkie]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}