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hydra

noun
/ˈhaɪdɹə//ˈhaɪ̯dɹə/UK

Etymology

After the Hydra, from Greek mythology, which grew two new heads every time one of its heads was cut off. The biology sense alludes to the budding method of asexual reproduction that the hydra practices, similar to growing new heads. The figurative sense refers to how the creature could not be killed by a swift, decisive solution (in contrast to a Gordian knot).

  1. derived from *udrós✻
  2. derived from ὕδρα
  3. derived from Hydra

Definitions

  1. A dragon-like creature with many heads and the ability to regrow them when maimed.

  2. Any of several small freshwater polyps of the genus Hydra and related genera, having a…

    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.

  3. A complex, multifarious problem or situation that cannot be easily and rapidly solved.

  4. ›+ 5 more definitions

    1. A mythological serpent with many heads, slain by Hercules as one of his twelve labours.

    2. A spring constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a serpent. It lies just…

      A spring constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a serpent. It lies just south of the zodiac and contains the star Alphard.

      • At night I lie dry-eyed on my little bed and turn my head to and fro to catch sight of one little star by one little star along the tail of Hydra, and think you are alive, you survive. Is this not what you wanted?

    3. One of Pluto's moons.

    4. One of the Saronic Islands in the Aegean Sea.

    5. A commune in Algiers Province, Algeria.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at hydra. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01hydra02polyps03polyp04coelenterate05cnidarians06cnidarian07hydras

A definitional loop anchored at hydra. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

7 hops · closes at hydra

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA