Word
jellyfish
Phoneticsjel·ly·fish, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒɛɫiˌfɪʃ/
UK/dʒˈɛlɪfɪʃ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a sea animal with a soft, clear body that looks like jelly and long, thin tentacles. Some of them can give you a painful sting if you touch them.
n. a free-swimming marine coelenterate with a gelatinous bell- or saucer-shaped body and stinging tentacles. Often used as a collective noun when referring to a group in a biological context.
Examples
“We saw a large jellyfish floating near the shore.”
“The beach was closed to swimmers after several people reported being stung by a jellyfish in the shallow water.”
“While most species are harmless to humans, the translucent body of the box jellyfish contains a potent venom that can cause severe physiological distress within minutes of contact.”
Examples
simple
“We saw a large jellyfish floating near the shore.”
contextual
“The beach was closed to swimmers after several people reported being stung by a jellyfish in the shallow water.”
complex
“While most species are harmless to humans, the translucent body of the box jellyfish contains a potent venom that can cause severe physiological distress within minutes of contact.”
Usage
The plural form can be either 'jellyfish' or 'jellyfishes', though 'jellyfish' is more common when referring to a group of the same species.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gel- Latin gelū Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin gelō ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin -āta Early Medieval Latin gelāta Old French geleebor. Middle English gele English jelly Proto-Indo-European *péysks Proto-Germanic *fiskaz Proto-West Germanic *fisk Old English fisċ Middle English fisch English fish English jellyfish From jelly + fish. From being an aquatic creature (i.e. fish) that is gelatinous (“jelly”). Despite the name, jellyfish are not biologically classified as fish. The term appeared in the mid-19th century and displaced various older terms such as sea jelly (now much less common), blubber/sea blubber, nettle/sea nettle (both now referring to specific jellyfish species), and, in scientific literature, medusa.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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