definitions

nymph

[ nimf ]
/ nɪmf /
||

noun

one of a numerous class of lesser deities of mythology, conceived of as beautiful maidens inhabiting the sea, rivers, woods, trees, mountains, meadows, etc., and frequently mentioned as attending a superior deity.
a beautiful or graceful young woman.
a maiden.
the young of an insect that undergoes incomplete metamorphosis.

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RELATED WORDS

fairy, spirit, goddess, sprite, naiad, nymphet, sylph, dryad, mermaid

Nearby words

nylon, nylon letdown, nylons, nyman, nyme, nymph, nympha, nymphaeaceous, nymphaeum, nymphalid, nymphectomy

Origin of nymph

1350–1400; Middle English nimphe < Latin nympha < Greek nýmphē bride, nymph

SYNONYMS FOR nymph

1 naiad, nereid, oread, dryad, hamadryad. See sylph.

Related forms

nymph·al, nym·phe·an [nim-fee-uhn] /ˈnɪm fi ən/, adjectiveun·nymph·al, adjectiveun·nym·phe·an, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nymphs

British Dictionary definitions for nymphs

nymph

/ (nɪmf) /

noun

myth a spirit of nature envisaged as a beautiful maiden
mainly poetic a beautiful young woman
the immature form of some insects, such as the dragonfly and mayfly, and certain arthropods. Nymphs resemble the adult, apart from having underdeveloped reproductive organs and (in the case of insects) wings, and develop into the adult without a pupal stage

Derived Forms

nymphal or nymphean (ˈnɪmfɪən), adjectivenymphlike, adjective

Word Origin for nymph

C14: via Old French from Latin, from Greek numphē nymph; related to Latin nūbere to marry
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Science definitions for nymphs

nymph

[ nĭmf ]

The immature form of those insects that do not pass through a pupal stage. Nymphs usually resemble the adults, but are smaller, lack fully developed wings, and are sexually immature. Compare imago larva pupa.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for nymphs

nymphs

Female spirits of classical mythology who lived in forests, bodies of water, and other places outdoors.

Note

By extension, a “nymph” is a beautiful or seductive woman.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.