jellyfish

jel-ly-fish · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A free-swimming marine animal with a gelatinous, umbrella-shaped body and trailing tentacles, often capable of stinging.

  2. 2.

    (informal) A person who lacks backbone or determination; a weak or spineless person.

Forms

plural: jellyfish

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    jellyfish sting — the painful wound caused by contact with jellyfish tentacles

Related words

See also: fish, ocean, octopus, sea
Synonyms: medusa, sea jelly

Etymology

Compound of jelly (referring to its gelatinous body) and fish. First recorded in the late 18th century. Note that jellyfish are not actually fish but belong to the phylum Cnidaria.