wood nymph

American  

noun

1. (especially in legend) a nymph of the woods; dryad.

2. a brown satyr butterfly, Minois alope, having a broad yellow band and black-and-white eyespots on each front wing.

3. any of several Central and South American hummingbirds, especially of the genus Thalurania.

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wood nymph British  

noun

1. one of a class of nymphs fabled to inhabit the woods, such as a dryad

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Etymology

Origin of wood nymph

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

Imagining oneself as a wood nymph wearing a bold lip and loud peasant dress doesn’t totally ward off unwanted attention.

From New York Times • Jul. 30, 2021

Outdoor learning, though, is not a wood nymph fantasy; the body of evidence suggesting the ways it benefits students, younger ones in particular, is ever growing.

From New York Times • Jul. 17, 2020

I made my way through a wood nymph dress, an Edwardian suit, the silver shag cape and, finally, the tick.

From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2010

Tansy too, and she’s no wood nymph, as I’ve mentioned.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

A Greek poet would never have thought of an elegant dress and coiffure for the wood nymph.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton