Illustration of jellyfish
- jellyfish 1a
jellyfish
noun
jel·ly·fish
ˈje-lē-ˌfish 
1
a
: the typically free-swimming, bell-shaped, usually sexually-reproducing solitary or colonial form of a cnidarian in which the whorls of tentacles lined with nematocysts arise and hang down from the margin of the nearly transparent, gelatinous bell : medusa
especially
: a large medusa characteristic of the siphonophores and scyphozoans (such as the sea nettle or box jellyfish)
b
c
2
: a person lacking backbone or firmness
Examples of jellyfish in a Sentence
a jellyfish who was afraid to tell her boss that her latest brainstorm was just plain bad
Recent Examples on the Web
Nudibranchs primarily eat jellyfish, anemones, sponges and other aquatic invertebrates—but some are cannibalistic.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Another notable sighting was a giant phantom jellyfish spotted by Viking’s Expedition Team.
—Kristen Pope, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2024
Both have jellyfish stings and sunburns, and Nathan had nearly slipped into a diabetic coma when they were found.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 29 July 2024
All rooms and suites feature volcanic stone hydrotherapy tubs, private heated plunge pools, lofty ceilings, 24-hour butler service, and lighted in-wall jellyfish habitats.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jellyfish 
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Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Another notable sighting was a giant phantom jellyfish spotted by Viking’s Expedition Team.
—Kristen Pope, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2024
Both have jellyfish stings and sunburns, and Nathan had nearly slipped into a diabetic coma when they were found.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 29 July 2024
All rooms and suites feature volcanic stone hydrotherapy tubs, private heated plunge pools, lofty ceilings, 24-hour butler service, and lighted in-wall jellyfish habitats.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jellyfish
Dictionary Entries Near jellyfish
Cite this Entry
“Jellyfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jellyfish. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jellyfish
noun
jel·ly·fish
ˈjel-ē-ˌfish
1
: any of numerous free-swimming coelenterate animals that reproduce sexually and have a jellylike, saucer-shaped, and usually nearly transparent body and tentacles with stinging cells
2
: any of various sea animals that resemble a jellyfish
Medical Definition
jellyfish
noun
jel·ly·fish
ˈjel-ē-ˌfish
: a free-swimming marine coelenterate that is the sexually reproducing form of a hydrozoan or scyphozoan and has a nearly transparent saucer-shaped body and extensible marginal tentacles studded with stinging cells
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