Cyclops

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cyclops \Cy"clops\ (s?"kl?ps), n. sing. & pl. [L. Cyclops, Gr.
     Ky`klwps (strictly round-eyed), pl. Ky`klwpes; ky`klos circle
     + 'w`ps eye.]
     1. (Gr. Myth.) One of a race of giants, sons of Neptune and
        Amphitrite, having but one eye, and that in the middle of
        the forehead. They were fabled to inhabit Sicily, and to


        assist in the workshops of Vulcan, under Mt. Etna.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Pope, in his translation of the "Odyssey," uniformly
           spells this word Cyclop, when used in the singular.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) A genus of minute Entomostraca, found both in
        fresh and salt water. See {Copepoda}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A portable forge, used by tinkers, etc.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Cyclops
       n 1: (Greek mythology) one of a race of giants having a single
            eye in the middle of their forehead
       2: minute free-swimming freshwater copepod having a large
          median eye and pear-shaped body and long antennae used in
          swimming; important in some food chains and as
          intermediate hosts of parasitic worms that affect man e.g.
          Guinea worms [syn: {water flea}]