Mermaid

Origin: Assyrian / Ancient Greek & Roman

mythology

Combination: human + fish

Classification: Fish

Other Names: Mirmen, Merewif, Serra, Siren, Syren, Maighdean na tuinne, Ceasg

Associations: shipwrecks, storms, fishermen

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Mermaids have the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids are female while their male counterparts are called mermen. The general term merfolk is also used. 

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The term "mermaid" is often used interchangeably with "siren" in contemporary contexts; "siren" used to describe a creature with the head of a woman and body of a bird in Ancient Greek mythology but became conflated with "mermaid" during the medieval period.

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The most famous mermaid is undoubtedly Disney's character Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name. 

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Mermaids are sometimes conflated with sirens.