hydra
Use Hydra in a sentence
drə noun, plural hy·dras, hy·drae [-dree] , for 1–3, noun hy·drae [-dree] , for 4.
[-dree] , for 1–3, noun hy·drae [-dree] , for 4. 1.
( often initial capital letter ) Classical Mythology. a water or marsh serpent with nine heads, each of which, if cut off, grew back as two; Hercules killed this serpent by cauterizing the necks as he cut off the heads.
2.
any freshwater polyp of the genus Hydra and related genera, having a cylindrical body with a ring of tentacles surrounding the mouth, and usually living attached to rocks, plants, etc., but also capable of detaching and floating in the water.
3.
a persistent or many-sided problem that presents new obstacles as soon as one aspect is solved.
4.
( initial capital letter ) Astronomy. the Sea Serpent, a large southern constellation extending through 90° of the sky, being the longest of all constellations.
Origin:
1325–75; < Latin < Greek hýdrā water serpent (replacing Middle English ydre < Middle French < L); see otter
1325–75; < Latin < Greek hýdrā water serpent (replacing Middle English ydre < Middle French < L); see otter
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Hydra
00:10
Hydra
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
hydra (ˈhaɪdrə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -dras, -drae | |
| 1. | any solitary freshwater hydroid coelenterate of the genus Hydra, in which the body is a slender polyp with tentacles around the mouth |
| 2. | a persistent trouble or evil: the hydra of the Irish problem |
| [C16: from Latin, from Greek hudra water serpent; compare | |
| Hydra1 (ˈhaɪdrə) | |
| —n | |
| Greek myth a monster with nine heads, each of which, when struck off, was replaced by two new ones | |
| Hydra2 (ˈhaɪdrə) | |
| —n , Latin genitive Hydrae | |
| a very long faint constellation lying mainly in the S hemisphere and extending from near Virgo to Cancer | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
hydra
1835, genus name of a freshwater polyp, from Gk. Hydra, many-headed Lernaean water serpent slain by Hercules (this sense is attested in Eng. from late 14c.), from hydor (gen. hydatos) "water" (see water (n.1)); related to Skt. udrah "aquatic animal" and O.E. ottur "otter."
Used figuratively for "any multiplicity of evils" [Johnson].
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| hydra (hī'drə) Pronunciation Key
Plural hydras or hydrae (hī'drē) See under hydroid. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences from the web
It was later revealed that the creature originated from the hydra system.
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