name · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/mɪˈdjuːsə/
/mɪˈdjuːzə/
US:mĭ'dū'sə
US:mĭ'dū'zə
US:/məˈduːsə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -uːsə
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M AH0 D UW1 S AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
The youngest and only mortal of the three gorgon sisters, killed by Perseus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
1895, Adolf Furtwängler, Eugenie Strong (editor and translator), Masterpieces of Greek Sculpture: A Series of Essays on the History of Art, 2010, →ISBN, page 201, On an Attic vase of the middle of the fifth century the head of Medusa in the hand of Perseus is represented as that of a beautiful woman free from any distortion. This led us to conclude (supra, p. 158) that Medusa must have been so represented at Athens in the greater arts even previous to this vase, for the vase-painters never invent such bold novelties for themselves.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A jellyfish; specifically, a non-polyp form of individual cnidarians, consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Synonym of worm-star.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: medicine, pathology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: worm-star
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
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
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: medusoid, medusan
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: coelenterate, cnidarian
5
noun
Meaning 5
(Greek mythology) a woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Gorgon
History
Etymology
From Middle English Medusa, Meduse, from Latin Medūsa, from Ancient Greek Μέδουσα (Médousa), from μέδω (médō, “rule over”).
By appellativization from Medusa.
Across languages
Translations
60 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مَدُوزَة
(madūza)
— one of the Gorgons
Catalan:
Medusa
— one of the Gorgons
Cherokee:
ᎺᏚᏌ
(medusa)
— one of the Gorgons
Chinese Mandarin:
美杜莎
(Měidùshā)
— one of the Gorgons
Chinese Mandarin:
墨杜萨
(Mòdùsà)
— one of the Gorgons
Dutch:
Medusa
— one of the Gorgons
Esperanto:
Meduzo
— one of the Gorgons
Finnish:
Meduusa
— one of the Gorgons
French:
Méduse
— one of the Gorgons
German:
Medusa
— one of the Gorgons
Greek:
Μέδουσα
(Médousa)
— one of the Gorgons
Ancient Greek:
Μέδουσα
(Médousa)
— one of the Gorgons
