'Proserpinaca palustris' definitions:

Definition of 'Proserpinaca palustris'

From: GCIDE
  • Mermaid \Mer"maid\, n. [AS. mere lake, sea. See Mere lake, and maid.] A fabled marine creature, typically represented as having the upper part like that of a woman, and the lower like a fish; a sea nymph, sea woman, or woman fish. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: Chaucer uses this word as equivalent to the siren of the ancients. [1913 Webster]
  • Mermaid fish (Zool.) the angel fish (Squatina).
  • Mermaid's glove (Zool.), a British branched sponge somewhat resembling a glove.
  • Mermaid's head (Zool.), a European spatangoid sea urchin (Echinocardium cordatum) having some resemblance to a skull.
  • Mermaid weed (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dentate or pectinate leaves (Proserpinaca palustris and Proserpinaca pectinacea). [1913 Webster]