Hamadryad

2 definitions found

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

  Hamadryad \Ham"a*dry`ad\ (h[a^]m"[.a]*dr[imac]`[a^]d), n.; pl.
     E. {Hamadryads} (-[a^]dz), L. {Hamadryades}
     (-dr[imac]"[.a]*d[=e]z). [L. Hamadryas, -adis, Gr.
     "Amadrya`s; "a`ma together + dry^s oak, tree: cf. F.
     hamadryade. See {Same}, and {Tree}.]
     [1913 Webster]


     1. (Class. Myth.) A tree nymph whose life ended with that of
        the particular tree, usually an oak, which had been her
        abode.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) A large venomous East Indian snake ({Ophiophagus
        bungarus}), allied to the cobras.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hamadryad
       n 1: the nymph or spirit of a particular tree
       2: large cobra of southeastern Asia and the East Indies; the
          largest venomous snake; sometimes placed in genus Naja
          [syn: {king cobra}, {Ophiophagus hannan}, {Naja hannah}]