Marine invertebrate of the phylum Cnidaria (coelenterates) with an umbrella-shaped body composed of a semitransparent gelatinous substance, with a fringe of stinging tentacles. Most adult jellyfishes move freely, but during parts of their life cycle many are polyplike and attached. They feed on small animals that are paralyzed by stinging cells in the jellyfishes' tentacles.
Any of numerous usually marine and free-swimming coelenterates that constitute the sexually reproductive forms of hydrozoans and scyphozoans; SYN. medusa, medusan. + prikaži više

ETYM Latin, from Greek.
The free-swimming phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate, such as a jellyfish or coral. The other phase is the sedentary polyp.
One of two forms that coelenterates take: is the free-swimming sexual stage in the life cycle of a coelenterate and has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles.

(Greek mythology) A woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus.
In Greek mythology, a mortal woman who was transformed into a Gorgon. Medusa was slain by Perseus; the winged horse Pegasus was supposed to have sprung from her blood. Her head was so hideous—even in death— that any beholder was turned to stone.