Meaning

noun (Greek mythology) a woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus

noun one of two forms that coelenterates take: it is the free-swimming sexual phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate; in this phase it has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles

originFrom Middle English Medusa, Meduse, from Latin Medūsa, from Ancient Greek Μέδουσα (Médousa), from μέδω (médō, “rule over”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0