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Definition of merfolk

merfolk

/ˈmɜːr.foʊk/
mer · folk
Plural:merfolk
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merfolk Lexical Profile

merfolk Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Mythical aquatic creatures—specifically mermaids and mermen considered collectively—that have the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish.

Example

"Coastal folklore across Europe is rich with tales of merfolk luring sailors toward rocky shores."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for merfolk

Word Nuance & Usage

'Merfolk' functions as a collective plural noun and is construed with a plural verb; 'merperson' is commonly used for a gender-neutral singular individual.

• Nearby Words

mere
merely
merengue
merfolk
merganser
merge
mergence

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 19th century as a compound of mer- (abstracted from 'mermaid' and 'merman', from Old English mere meaning 'sea') and 'folk' (meaning 'people').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Merfolk. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/merfolk
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