Definition: Someone who has an unnatural interest in mermaids.
Sample usage: "I'd put on my costume and go sit on a rock if it weren't for all the merverts getting in some gill-watching."
Popularity: The word originated in a news report about "professional mermaids" who attract creeps. It's a great word, and it's a pity the applications are so narrow. Of course, there's always a chance that the pro mermaid industry will start to boom.
JAMES LILEKS
Interested in other words we've dissected? See more at startribune.com/word.
