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Chi·me·ra also Chi·mae·ra  (kī-mîrə, kĭ-)
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Tweet n. 1. Greek Mythology A fire-breathing female monster usually represented as a composite of a lion, goat, and serpent. 2. An imaginary monster made up of grotesquely disparate parts.  (click for a larger image) Chimera4th-century bc silver Greek coin |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. 1. a. An organism, organ, or part consisting of two or more tissues of different genetic composition, produced as a result of organ transplant, grafting, or genetic engineering. b. A gene or protein consisting of parts from two different genes or proteins that are normally distinct, sometimes derived from two different species. 2. An individual who has received a transplant of genetically and immunologically different tissue. 3. A fanciful mental illusion or fabrication. [Middle English chimere, Chimera, from Old French, from Latin chimaera, from Greek khimaira, female goat, Chimera; see ghei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
