wasserman

Borrowed from German Wassermann.

wasserman (plural wassermen)

1. (obsolete) A mythical sea monster, part man, thought to destroy ships.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     The dreadfull Fish, that hath deseru'd the name
     Of Death, and like him lookes in dreadfull hew,
     The griesly Wasserman, that makes his game
     The flying ships with swiftnesse to pursew […]

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