In Greek and Roman mythology, nymphs were spirits of nature who appeared as young women.
2. countable noun
A nymph is the larva, or young form, of an insect such as a dragonfly.
More Synonyms of nymph
nymph in British English
(nɪmf)
noun
1. mythology
a spirit of nature envisaged as a beautiful maiden
2. mainly poetic
a beautiful young woman
3.
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 (ˈnymphal) or nymphean (ˈnɪmfɪən)
adjective
nymphlike (ˈnymphlike)
adjective
Word origin
C14: via Old French from Latin, from Greek numphē nymph; related to Latin nūbere to marry
nymph in American English
(nɪmf)
noun
1. Classical Mythology
any of a group of minor nature goddesses, represented as young and beautiful and living in rivers, mountains, or trees
2.
a.
a lovely young woman
b.
a young woman; maiden: literary or playful usage
3. Entomology
the young of an insect with incomplete metamorphosis, differing from the adult primarily in size and structural proportions
Derived forms
nymphal (ˈnymphal)
adjective or ˈnymphean
Word origin
ME nimphe < OFr < L nympha < Gr nymphē, young wife, spring goddess, hence (poetically) water: see nubile
Examples of 'nymph' in a sentence
nymph
She was like a figure from a rococo fresco, an eighteenth-century nymph.
Townsend, Eileen IN LOVE AND WAR (1996)
She had been big for her age then and over the years had blossomed into this gorgeous nymph of a creature.
Shell, Ray ICED (1996)
She had disguised herself as an alluring wood nymph to fool the Merlin into teaching her his craft, which he did.
Traci Harding THE ANCIENT FUTURE: THE DARK AGE (1996)
1 (noun)
Definition
a spirit of nature, represented as a beautiful young woman
In the depths of a river, the three water nymphs – the Rhinemaidens – play and sing.
Synonyms
sylph
dryad
naiad
The ceiling was covered in paintings of sylphs and naiads, fauns and faeries.
hamadryad
Oceanid (Greek mythology)
oread
2 (noun)
Definition
a beautiful young woman
poetic)
They had one daughter, an exquisite nymph named Jacqueline.
Synonyms
girl
lass
She's a Lancashire lass from Longton, near Preston.
maiden (archaic, literary)
stories of adventures with knights, wizards and maidens
maid (archaic, literary)
But can he win back the heart of this fair maid?
damsel (archaic, poetic)
The fairytale was about a damsel in distress.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of damsel
Definition
a young woman
The fairytale was about a damsel in distress.
Synonyms
maiden (archaic, literary),
girl,
virgin,
maid (archaic, literary),
miss (old-fashioned, derogatory),
nymph (poetic),
lass,
lassie (informal),
wench
in the sense of lass
Definition
a girl or young woman
She's a Lancashire lass from Longton, near Preston.
Synonyms
girl,
young woman,
miss (old-fashioned, derogatory),
maiden,
maid (archaic),
damsel (archaic, poetic),
colleen (Irish),
lassie (informal),
wench (facetious),
charlie (Australian, old-fashioned, slang)
in the sense of maid
Definition
a young unmarried girl
But can he win back the heart of this fair maid?
Synonyms
girl,
maiden (archaic, literary),
lass,
miss (old-fashioned, derogatory),
nymph (poetic),
damsel,
lassie (informal)
Nearby words of
nymph
nuts and bolts
nutty
nuzzle
nymph
oaf
oafish
oak
Synonyms of 'nymph'
nymph
Explore 'nymph' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of maiden
Definition
a young unmarried girl, esp. a virgin
stories of adventures with knights, wizards and maidens
Synonyms
girl,
maid (archaic, literary),
lass,
damsel (archaic, poetic),
miss (old-fashioned, derogatory),
virgin,
nymph (poetic),
lassie (informal)
in the sense of naiad
Definition
a water nymph
The ceiling was covered in paintings of sylphs and naiads, fauns and faeries.