medusa
/meˈdu.za/feminine
The English word jellyfish is medusa in Italian.
The word refers to the aquatic animal known as a jellyfish.
Meaning: aquatic animal (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Sicilian dialect, the term Mantia is used specifically to describe a jellyfish.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of medusa is meduse.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the second syllable: /meˈdu.za/.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, which uses 'jelly' as a descriptor for the animal's texture, the Italian medusa evokes the image of the Gorgon's snakes.
- In Italian culture, a medusa sting is often treated with vinegar, a common folk remedy discussed frequently in coastal regions.
- The term medusa is often used in Italian scientific contexts to refer specifically to the umbrella-shaped stage of the lifecycle, rather than the whole organism.
Examples in context
- La medusa vive nel mare.The jellyfish lives in the sea.This sentence illustrates where the medusa lives.Tatoeba #12479495 by Guybrush88, translation #12472023 by Miktsoanit
- Tom è stato punto da una medusa.Tom got stung by a jellyfish.This sentence shows an example of being stung by a medusa.Tatoeba #5430286 by Guybrush88, translation #3439636 by CK
- La maggior parte delle punture di medusa non sono mortali, ma molte sono comunque abbastanza dolorose.Most jellyfish stings aren't deadly, but many are pretty painful nonetheless.This sentence describes the nature of stings caused by a medusa.Tatoeba #3154183 by Guybrush88, translation #3154167 by Vanilla
- Sei mai stato punto da una medusa?Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish?
- I cnidari sono animali affascinanti, tra cui spiccano le meduse.Cnidarians are fascinating animals, among which jellyfish stand out.
- Oggi al mare ho visto tante acalefi!Today at the beach, I saw so many jellyfish!
- Mi piace fare il bagno, ma mi spaventano le meduse.I like swimming, but jellyfish scare me.
- Ricordati di fare attenzione alle acalefi quando vai in acqua.Remember to watch out for jellyfish when you go into the water.
- Una volta, ho visto una medusa gigante in spiaggia!Once, I saw a giant jellyfish on the beach!
- Hai mai nuotato tra le acalefi?Have you ever swum among jellyfish?
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are swimming at the beach.
- FrancescoGuarda, c'è una medusa vicino a te!Look, there is a jellyfish near you!
- ChiaraOddio, dove? Devo uscire subito!Oh my god, where? I have to get out now!
- FrancescoSì, nuota via dalla medusa, Chiara.Yes, swim away from the jellyfish, Chiara.
- ChiaraGrazie Francesco, ora sto meglio.Thanks Francesco, I feel better now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jellyfish” translations and entries medusa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
