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Chimaera

   Also found in: Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
Chi·mae·ra  (k-mîr, k-)
n. Greek Mythology
Variant of Chimera.

chi·mae·ra  (k-mîr, k-)
n.
1. A deep-sea cartilaginous fish of the family Chimaeridae, having a smooth-skinned tapering body and a whiplike tail.
2. Genetics Variant of chimera.

[New Latin Chimaera, type genus, from Latin chimaera, chimera; see chimera.]

chimaera [kaɪˈmɪərə kɪ-]
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any tapering smooth-skinned cartilaginous deep-sea fish of the subclass Holocephali (or Bradyodonti), esp any of the genus Chimaera. They have a skull in which the upper jaw is fused to the cranium See also rabbitfish [1]
2. (Myth & Legend / Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth a variant spelling of chimera [1]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.ChimaeraChimaera - (Greek mythology) fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head and a goat's body and a serpent's tail; daughter of Typhon
Greek mythology - the mythology of the ancient Greeks
mythical creature, mythical monster - a monster renowned in folklore and myth
2.chimaera - a grotesque product of the imagination
imagery, imaging, mental imagery, imagination - the ability to form mental images of things or events; "he could still hear her in his imagination"
3.chimaera - a deep-sea fish with a tapering body, smooth skin, and long threadlike tail
holocephalan, holocephalian - fish with high compressed head and a body tapering off into a long tail
genus Chimaera - type genus of the Chimaeridae
Chimaera monstrosa, rabbitfish - large European chimaera


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
When he had received the wicked letter he first commanded Bellerophon to kill that savage monster, the Chimaera, who was not a human being, but a goddess, for she had the head of a lion and the tail of a serpent, while her body was that of a goat, and she breathed forth flames of fire; but Bellerophon slew her, for he was guided by signs from heaven.
She was the mother of Chimaera who breathed raging fire, a creature fearful, great, swift-footed and strong, who had three heads, one of a grim-eyed lion; in her hinderpart, a dragon; and in her middle, a goat, breathing forth a fearful blast of blazing fire.
Some of them had already fought with giants, and slain dragons; and the younger ones, who had not yet met with such good fortune, thought it a shame to have lived so long without getting astride of a flying serpent, or sticking their spears into a Chimaera, or, at least, thrusting their right arms down a monstrous lion's throat.
 
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