proteus
UK /ˈpɹəʊ.tjuːs/ · US /ˈpɹoʊ.ti.əs/ noun, proper noun
Forms protei
- noun Any of many gram-negative bacteria, of the genus Proteus, several of which are responsible for human infections.
- proper noun (Greek mythology) A sea god who could change his shape at will.
- proper noun (astronomy) The sixth satellite of the planet Neptune.
Synonyms
Etymology
From the genus name.
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Πρωτεύς (Prōteús).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A sea god in the service of Neptune who assumed different shapes at will. Hence, one who easily changes his appearance or principles.
- noun (a) A genus of aquatic eel-shaped amphibians found in caves in Austria. They have permanent external gills as well as lungs. The eyes are small and the legs are weak.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “proteus”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details