English Explanatory Dictionary

nymph

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

Any female nature spirit associated with water, forests, grotto, wind, etc.
A young girl, especially one who is attractive, beautiful or graceful.
The larva of certain insects.
Any of various butterflies of the family Nymphalidae.

verb

To fish using a nymph larva as bait.

Pronunciation

/ˈnɪmf/ en-us-nymph.ogg

Word forms

nymph nymphs nymphae nymphe nymphing nymphed

Etymology

From Middle English nimphe, from Old English nymphē and Old French nimphe, both from Latin nympha (“nymph, bride”), from Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride”). Doublet of nympha.

Synonyms

Related words

lymph nymphaeum nympho nymphomania nymphomaniac sylph alseid auloniad crinaeae limnade meliae napaeae oceanid oread pegaeae dryads hamadryad naiad nereid Hesperides

Derived words

deutonymph flymph jungle nymph nymphal nymphet nymphette nymphic nymphicidal nymphicide nymphine nymphiparous nymphish nymphlike nymphly nymph of darkness nymph of the pavé nymph of the pavement nymphoid nymphology nymphosis pronymph protonymph seminymph tree nymph tritonymph water nymph woodnymph wood-nymph

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