chimera

also n.

1. 1. An organism, organ, or part consisting of two or more tissues of different genetic composition, produced as a result of organ transplant, grafting, or genetic engineering.
   2. A substance, such as an antibody, created from the proteins or genes of two different species.
2. An individual who has received a transplant of genetically and immunologically different tissue.
3. A fanciful mental illusion or fabrication.

[Middle English chimere, Chimera, from Old French, from Latin chimaera, from Greek khimaira, chimera, she-goat.]

(ki-MEER-uh, ky-)

noun
1. A fanciful fabrication; illusion.
2. An organism having genetically different tissues.

Etymology
After Chimera, a fire-breathing female monster in Greek mythology who had a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. From Greek khimaira (she-goat), ultimately from the Indo-European root ghei- (winter) that is the ancestor of words such as chimera (literally a female animal that is one winter, or one year old), hibernate, and the Himalayas, from Sanskrit him (snow) + alaya (abode)

Usage
"The government subsidies [for bio-fuel] may quickly dry up once policymakers face up to the reality of their euphoric chimera, and food shortages threaten political stability and national security." — Abdullah A. Dewan; Fuel Versus Food; The Daily Star (Dhaka, Bangladesh); Apr 24, 2008.

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Is the notion of gender-parity a fantasy? Maureen Dowd explores the issue in a New York Times article:

"My mom would just shake her head... I took the idealism and passion of the 60's for granted, simply assuming we were sailing toward perfect equality with men, a utopian world at home and at work. I didn't listen to her when she cautioned me about the chimera of equality. "

Link: What's a Modern Girl to Do?

Posted November 1, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

noun

A fantastic, impracticable plan or desire: bubble, castle in the air, dream, fantasy, illusion, pipe dream, rainbow. See real/imaginary.

n

Definition: dream, fantasy
Antonyms: reality, truth

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(or chimaera) A wild fancy. In Greek mythology, a fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - kimære, hjernespind, havmus

Nederlands (Dutch)
hersenschim

Français (French)
n. - chimère

Deutsch (German)
n. - Schimäre, Hirngespinst, Schreckgespenst

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - χίμαιρα

Italiano (Italian)
chimera

Português (Portuguese)
n. - quimera (f)

Русский (Russian)
химера

Español (Spanish)
n. - quimera, fantasía

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hjärnspöke, chimär, chimaira (myt.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
吐火怪物, 狂想, 妖怪

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 吐火怪物, 狂想, 妖怪

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 키메라 (그리스 신화의 괴물), 망상

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - キメラ, 怪物, ばかげた空想

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) خيال, وهم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מפלצת עם ראש אריה יורק-להבות (מיתולוגיה יוונית), דמיון כוזב, מפלצת אגדית, חזיון תעתועים, כל חיה אגדית שאבריה לקוחים מחיות שונות, יצור חי המכיל רקמות שונות זו מזו גנטית, חימרה, חומצת גרעיני התא, סוג דג‬

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