merman

Meaning

A legendary creature, human male from the waist up, fishlike from the waist down.

Synonyms

mermaid

🧜‍♀️

triton

diver

merfolk

water sprite

water spirit

mermen

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mereman

Inherited from Old English: *meremann

Cognate with Old English: meremenn

Cognate with Dutch: meerman

Cognate with German: Meermann

In summary

From Middle English mereman, from Old English *meremann (“merman”) (suggested by Old English meremenn, meremennen, meremenin (“mermaid, siren”)), equivalent to mer- + man. Cognate with Dutch meerman (“merman”), German Meermann (“merman”).