Meanings
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1
noun
in Greek mythology, a many-headed serpent whose severed heads grew back
Heracles defeated the hydra by cauterizing each neck after cutting off its head.
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2
noun
a complex, persistent problem that develops new parts when one part is removed
The investigation uncovered a hydra of linked fraud schemes.
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3
noun
a small freshwater cnidarian with a tubular body and tentacles around its mouth
Under the microscope, the hydra contracted its tentacles when the water was disturbed.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From Latin Hydra, from Ancient Greek hydra, 'water serpent,' related to hydor, 'water.' The regenerating monster inspired the figurative sense of a problem that multiplies when attacked; naturalists later applied the name to the regenerative freshwater polyp.