medusa

Everyday

1. (a name, Greek myth) Medusa was a monster, a Gorgon, with snakes for hair; anyone who looked at her face was turned to stone. The hero Perseus cut off her head. tree →
2. (science) A medusa is the swimming, umbrella-shaped stage of a jellyfish or similar sea creature. tree →

In the lessons

In lessons on Greek myths, Medusa is one of the most famous monsters; Perseus defeated her by looking at her reflection in his shiny shield. Her image appears in art and on shields as a symbol of protection. In science lessons on sea life, jellyfish have a polyp stage (stuck to rocks) and a medusa stage (swimming bell). Phrases: «Medusa's head», «the medusa stage».

Examples

• Medusa had snakes instead of hair. tree →
• Anyone who looked at Medusa turned to stone. tree →
• Perseus used a mirror-shield so he would not look straight at Medusa. tree →
• In the myth, the winged horse Pegasus sprang from Medusa. tree →
• A jellyfish in its medusa stage swims by pulsing its bell. tree →
• The museum has an old coin with Medusa's face. tree →
• Medusae drift with the ocean currents. tree →
• Some later stories say Medusa was once a beautiful woman who was cursed. tree →
• Seeing herself thus transformed into so repulsive an object, Medusa fled from her home, never to return. tree →

Note

As a name it takes a capital: Medusa. In science the plural is «medusae» or «medusas». Pronounced «meh-DYOO-za». Myths are stories, not history. Not a maths word.