1. a. A fabled fire-breathing monster of Greek mythology, with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail (or according to others with the heads of a lion, a goat, and a serpent), killed by Bellerophon.

b. Any fish of the family Chimæridæ; = RABBIT-fish. (Cf. CHIMÆROID a.)

2. In Painting, Arch., etc. A grotesque monster, formed of the parts of various animals.

3. fig. with reference to the terrible character, the unreality, or the incongruous composition of the fabled monster: a. A horrible and fear-inspiring phantasm, a bogy.

b. An unreal creature of the imagination, a mere wild fancy; an unfounded conception. (The ordinary modern use.) See also BOMBINATE.

c. An incongruous union or medley.

d. Biol. [ad. G. chimäre (H. Winkler 1907, in Ber. d. Deut. Bot. Ges. XXV. 574).] An organism (commonly a plant) in which tissues of genetically different constitution co-exist as a result of grafting, mutation, or some other process.

4. attrib. and Comb.

Hence chimeraship nonce-wd.