Sīrēn
feminine
The English word mermaid is translated into Latin using several forms, most commonly Sīrēn. Wiktionary also lists femina marina and puella marina.
Meaning: mythological woman with a fish’s tail (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | Note |
|---|---|
| Sīrēn | feminine |
| femina marina | |
| puella marina | |
| semipuella marina | |
| oceanide | feminine |
In Latin, several terms can describe a mythological woman with a fish's tail.
What does it mean word for word?
The descriptive phrases can be broken down as follows: femina marina is a literal description meaning 'marine woman' (from femina meaning woman and marina meaning of the sea), and puella marina literally translates to 'marine girl'.
Which one should you use?
oceanide is a feminine noun. Descriptive terms like femina marina, puella marina and semipuella marina focus on the creature's physical or gendered nature.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms Sīrēn and oceanide are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- The Latin word for girl, puella, actually began as a word for a small boy, puellus, before it evolved to refer to girls.
- While English uses 'mermaid' to describe a mythical being, the Latin Sīrēn refers to a creature that, in many classical texts, was more often a bird-woman than a fish-woman.
- The term oceanide does not just mean 'sea creature', but specifically identifies the mermaid as a daughter or inhabitant of the primordial ocean deities.
Example sentences for Latin are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Lucia and Quintus are looking at an old book of myths.
- LuciaQuid est hoc monstrum, Quinte?What is this monster, Quintus?
- QuintusHaec est Sīrēn, Lucia.This is a mermaid, Lucia.
- LuciaEstne Sīrēn periculōsa?Is the mermaid dangerous?
- QuintusIta, cantū marīnō temptat.Yes, she tempts with a sea song.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mermaid” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries femina, puella, CC BY-SA 4.0.
