Medusae

Medusa Me*du"sa, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?.] 1. (Class. Myth.) The Gorgon; or one of the Gorgons whose hair was changed into serpents, after which all who looked upon her were turned into stone. [1913 Webster]

2. [pl. {Medusae}.] (Zo["o]l.) Any free swimming acaleph; a jellyfish. [1913 Webster]

Note: The larger medus[ae] belong to the Discophora, and are sometimes called {covered-eyed medus[ae]}; others, known as {naked-eyed medus[ae]}, belong to the Hydroidea, and are usually developed by budding from hydroids. See {Discophora}, {Hydroidea}, and {Hydromedusa}. [1913 Webster]

{Medusa bud} (Zo["o]l.), one of the buds of a hydroid, destined to develop into a gonophore or medusa. See {Athecata}, and {Gonotheca}.

{Medusa's head}. (a) (Zo["o]l.) An astrophyton. (b) (Astron.) A cluster of stars in the constellation Perseus. It contains the bright star Algol. [1913 Webster]