chimera

or chi·mae·ra

[ ki-meer-uh, kahy- ]
/ kɪˈmɪər ə, kaɪ- /

noun, plural chi·me·ras.

(often initial capital letter) a mythological, fire-breathing monster, commonly represented with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
any similarly grotesque monster having disparate parts, especially as depicted in decorative art.
a horrible or unreal creature of the imagination; a vain or idle fancy: He is far different from the chimera your fears have made of him.
Genetics. an organism composed of two or more genetically distinct tissues, as an organism that is partly male and partly female, or an artificially produced individual having tissues of several species.

Origin of chimera

1350–1400; Middle English chimera < Latin chimaera < Greek chímaira she-goat; akin to Old Norse gymbr, English gimmer ewe-lamb one year (i.e., one winter) old, Latin hiems winter (see hiemal), Greek cheimṓn winter

Example sentences from the Web for chimera

British Dictionary definitions for chimera

chimera

chimaera

/ (kaɪˈmɪərə, kɪ-) /

noun

(often capital) Greek myth a fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a serpent
a fabulous beast made up of parts taken from various animals
a wild and unrealistic dream or notion
biology an organism, esp a cultivated plant, consisting of at least two genetically different kinds of tissue as a result of mutation, grafting, etc

Word Origin for chimera

C16: from Latin chimaera, from Greek khimaira she-goat, from khimaros he-goat

Medical definitions for chimera

chimera
[ kī-mîrə, kĭ- ]

n.

One who has received a transplant of genetically and immunologically different tissue.
Twins with two immunologically different types of red blood cells.

Cultural definitions for chimera

chimera
[ (keye-meer-uh, ki-meer-uh) ]

A monster in classical mythology who had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon or serpent.

notes for chimera

Figuratively, a “chimera” is a creation of the imagination, especially a wild creation.