any elongate cylindrical worm of the polychaete family Nereididae, including clamworms.
adjective
2.
of or pertaining to the family Nereididae.
Origin
1830-40; < Neo-LatinNereididae family name; see Nereid, -idae
Nereid
[neer-ee-id] /ˈnɪər i ɪd/
noun
1.
(sometimes lowercase) Classical Mythology. any of the 50 daughters of Nereus; a sea nymph.
2.
Astronomy. a moon of the planet Neptune.
Origin
< LatinNērēid- (stem of Nērēis) < Greek, stem of Nērēís. See Nereus, -id1
British Dictionary definitions for nereid
Nereid1
/ˈnɪərɪɪd/
noun (pl) Nereides (nəˈriːəˌdiːz)
1.
(Greek myth) any of the 50 sea nymphs who were the daughters of the sea god Nereus
Word Origin
C17: via Latin from Greek Nērēid, from Nereus; compare Latin nāre to swim
Nereid2
/ˈnɪərɪɪd/
noun
1.
a satellite of the planet Neptune, in a large and highly eccentric orbit
Word Origin and History for nereid
Nereid
"sea-nymph," 1510s, from Greek Nereis (genitive Nereidos), daughter of the ancient sea-god Nereus, whose name is related to naros "flowing, liquid, I flow" (see naiad).