# mermaid

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɜːˌmeɪd/ · frequency rank #15,660

## Definitions
1. A mythological creature with a woman's head and upper body, and a tail of a fish.
2. Coloured a brilliant turquoise.
3. A prostitute.

## Etymology
From Middle English mermayde (“maid of the sea”), from mere (“sea, lake”) + maid, equivalent to mer- + maid. Cognate with Dutch meermeid (“mermaid”), Middle High German mermaget, mermeit (“mermaid”, > German Meermagd, Meermädchen (“mermaid”)). Compare Old English meremenn, meremennen, meremenin (“mermaid, siren”).

## Common misspellings (10)
`emrmaid`, `memraid`, `meramid`, `mermadi`, `mermaidd`, `mermiad`, `mermmaid`, `merrmaid`, `mmermaid`, `mremaid`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mermaid