nereides

2 definitions found

nereides - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Nereid \Ne"re*id\, n.; pl. E. Nereids, L. Nereides. [L.
     Nereis, -idis, Gr. Nhrei:`s Nhrhi:`s, Nhrhi:`dos, a daughter
     of Nereus, a nymph of the sea, fr. Nhrey`s Nereus, an ancient
     sea god; akin to nhro`s wet, Skr. n[=a]ra water, cf. Gr.
     na`ein to flow.]
     1. (Class. Myth.) A sea nymph, one of the daughters of
        Nereus, who were attendants upon Neptune, and were
        represented as riding on sea horses, sometimes with the
        human form entire, and sometimes with the tail of a fish.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) Any species of Nereis. The word is sometimes
        used for similar annelids of other families.
        [1913 Webster]

  Nereis \Ne"re*is\ (? or ?), prop. n.; pl. Nereides. [L.]
     1. (Class. Myth.) A Nereid. See Nereid.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) A genus, including numerous species, of marine
        chaetopod annelids, having a well-formed head, with two
        pairs of eyes, antennae, four pairs of tentacles, and a
        protrusile pharynx, armed with a pair of hooked jaws.
        [1913 Webster]