[ kʌɪ'mɪərə , kɪ- ]
(also chimaera )
■ noun
1》 Greek Mythology a fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
2》 something hoped for but illusory or impossible to achieve.
3》 Biology an organism containing a mixture of genetically different tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of early embryos, grafting, or mutation.
4》 ( chimaera ) a long-tailed cartilaginous marine fish with an erect spine before the first dorsal fin. [ Chimaera and other genera, family Chimaeridae.]
Derivatives
chimeric -'mɛrɪk adjective
chimerical adjective
chimerically adverb
Origin
ME: via L. from Gk khimaira 'she-goat or ~'.