I. ˈnirēə̇d noun
( -s )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Latin Nereid-, Nereis, from Greek Nērēid-, Nērēis, Nēreid-, Nēreis, from Nēreus Nereus, god of the sea + Greek -id-, -is feminine patronymic suffix
1. : any of the 50 or 100 sea nymphs held in Greek mythology to be the daughters of Nereus and Doris and attendants on Poseidon and represented as riding sea horses and other sea monsters and usually as having the human form
2. : an often malevolent nymph of Greek folklore dwelling in springs or trees as well as in the sea
II. adjective
Etymology: New Latin Nereidae
: of or relating to the Nereidae
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin Nereidae
: a worm of the family Nereidae