water nymph

American  

noun

1. a nymph of the water, as a naiad, a Nereid, or an Oceanid.

2. water lily.

3. any aquatic plant of the genus Najas, having narrow, opposite leaves.

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water nymph British  

noun

1. any fabled nymph of the water, such as the Naiad, Nereid, or Oceanid of Greek mythology

2. any of various aquatic plants, esp a water lily or a naiad

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Etymology

Origin of water nymph

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

The masque’s subject is problematic: Some beautiful African water nymphs—portrayed by the queen and her ladies-in-waiting in blackface—wish to travel to Britain to be made white.

From The Wall Street Journal

She imagined a climactic moment in which Medusa confronts Athena and asks the goddess why she, the victim, was unjustly punished, and added a noncanonical love affair between Medusa and a female water nymph.

From New York Times

The word “Nyad” is a derivation of “naiad,” the water nymph from Greek mythology.

From Los Angeles Times

Her hair in bangs, her huge eyes echoing those of Christy’s water nymph, she looks just as romantic as the art.

From New York Times

“On the Tollense trade route, with Nordic amber, a traveler offered up her amulet to the local water nymphs for further good luck on the voyage,” Dr. Kaul said.

From New York Times