Hydra
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈhaɪdɹə/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Hydra is a noun meaning (fantasy) A dragon-like creature with many heads and the ability to regrow them when maimed.
Meaning
(fantasy) A dragon-like creature with many heads and the ability to regrow them when maimed.
More Meanings
- (figurative) A complex, multifarious problem or situation that cannot be easily and rapidly solved.
- (biology) Any of several small freshwater polyps of the genus Hydra and related genera, having a naked cylindrical body and an oral opening surrounded by tentacles.
Example Sentences
Because the statute is so vaguely worded, award decisions are habitually based on case law, the growing mountain of which is a hydra of rulings that point in so many directions that almost any decision can be defended or overturned on appeal, depending on how smart your lawyer is and which precedent he selects to argue your case.
Word Forms
- hydras
- hydrae
Synonyms for hydra
Depending on context, synonyms include snake.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include snake, lernean, multiheaded, glide, headed, none.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.