Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Medusa
‖
Me-du′sa
,Noun.
[L., fr. Gr. [GREEK].]
1.
(Class. Myth.)
The Gorgon; or one of the Gorgons whose hair was changed into serpents, after which all who looked upon her were turned into stone.
2.
[pl.
Medusae
.] (Zool.)
Any free swimming acaleph; a jellyfish.
☞ The larger medusae belong to the Discophora, and are sometimes called
covered-eyed medusae
; others, known as naked-eyed medusae
, belong to the Hydroidea, and are usually developed by budding from hydroids. See Discophora
, Hydroidea
, and Hydromedusa
.