Hydra

Hy·dra  (hdr)

n.

1. Greek Mythology The many-headed monster that was slain by Hercules.

2. A constellation in the equatorial region of the southern sky near Cancer, Libra, and Centaurus. Also called Snake².

3. A persistent or multifaceted problem that cannot be eradicated by a single effort.

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[Middle English Idra, from Latin Hydra, from Greek Hudr, Hydra, a water serpent; see wed-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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hy·dra  (hdr)

n. pl. hy·dras or hy·drae (-dr)

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.

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[New Latin Hydra, genus name, from Latin Hydra, Hydra; see Hydra.]

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hydra

Noun

1. a mythical many-headed serpent

2. a persistent problem: killing the hydra of drug production is impossible

3. a microscopic freshwater creature with a slender tubular body and tentacles around the mouth [Greek hudra water serpent]

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hydra  (hdr)

Plural hydras or hydrae (hdr)

See under hydroid.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Hydra - (Greek mythology) monster with nine heads; when struck off each head was replaced by two new ones; "Hydra was slain by Hercules" Greek mythology - the mythology of the ancient Greeks mythical creature, mythical monster - a monster renowned in folklore and myth
	2.	Hydra - a long faint constellation in the southern hemisphere near the equator stretching between Virgo and Cancer Snake
	3.	hydra - trouble that cannot be overcome by a single effort because of its many aspects or its persistent and pervasive quality; "we may be facing a hydra that defies any easy solution" trouble, problem - a source of difficulty; "one trouble after another delayed the job"; "what's the problem?"
	4.	hydra - small tubular solitary freshwater hydrozoan polyp hydroid, hydrozoan - colonial coelenterates having the polyp phase dominant genus Hydra - hydras