nymph

Pluralnymphs, nymphae

Formsnymphs, nymphing, nymphed

1. 1
   nature spiritnouncountable

   In Greek and Roman mythology, any female nature spirit linked with a place or force such as water, forests, grottoes, or wind.

   According to the myth, the spring was guarded by a nymph who punished anyone who muddied its water.

   The villa's garden had a marble nymph pouring water into the pool.

   Note

   Greek númphē meant "bride", and the nature spirit kept that picture of a young woman in her bloom, each one bound to a particular spring, tree, mountain or sea. The kinds have their own names: naiads of springs and rivers, dryads of trees, oreads of mountains, nereids of the sea. The girl of the flattering sense is this figure brought down to earth. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 7 facts

   • Greek númphē meant 'bride'. en.wiktionary.org
   • Mythological nymphs were represented as young women. en.wikipedia.org
   • Nymphs were associated with particular natural places. en.wikipedia.org
   • Naiads were nymphs of springs and rivers. resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
   • Dryads were tree nymphs. en.wikipedia.org
   • Oreads were mountain nymphs. en.wikipedia.org
   • Nereids were sea nymphs. en.wikipedia.org
2. 2
   young insectnouncountable

   The young of insects such as mayflies, dragonflies and grasshoppers, which grow into adults gradually through a series of molts, with no pupal stage.

   Mayfly nymphs spend months on the riverbed before emerging as winged adults.

   Each nymph molts several times as it grows.

   Similarlarva

   Note

   Entomologists keep the word for insects that grow up gradually, such as dragonflies, mayflies and grasshoppers: the young molt several times, growing wing buds as they go, and never pass through a resting pupa. A nymph that lives in water is also called a naiad, after the water spirits; instar, by contrast, names any one stage between molts. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 7 facts

   • Dragonflies, mayflies and grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis and have nymphs. amentsoc.org
   • Nymphs grow through repeated molts. amentsoc.org
   • Developing nymphs acquire external wing buds. entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu
   • Nymphs do not pass through a pupal stage. en.wikipedia.org
   • An aquatic nymph can also be called a naiad. genent.cals.ncsu.edu
   • The insect term 'naiad' comes from the mythological water spirits. bugguide.net
   • An instar is a developmental stage between molts. amentsoc.org
3. 3
   pretty girlnounliterarycountable

   A young woman or girl, especially an attractive, beautiful, or graceful one.

   UsageSaid of a real girl today, it can sound leering rather than admiring.

   Similarmaiden, beauty, damsel

   Note

   The compliment borrows the grace of the nature spirit, and it belongs to love poetry and gallant flattery more than to everyday speech. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

   • The flattering description of a girl as a nymph invokes a mythological nature spirit; love poetry supplies examples of this comparison. rpo.library.utoronto.ca
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To fly-fish with an artificial nymph, a fly tied to imitate a young aquatic insect and usually fished below the surface.

   On cold spring days, the guide prefers to nymph the deep runs below the rapids.

   She spent the afternoon nymphing a slow pool and landed three brown trout.

   Note

   The verb comes from the fly fisher's nymph, which is usually an artificial one, tied to look like an insect's young and fished below the surface rather than on top. The water being fished is the object, so anglers nymph a pool or a run; James W. White describes a companion who "nymphed the middle of the Snag" while he threw a streamer. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 5 facts

   • The fishing verb is formed from the noun naming the nymph used by anglers; the noun-to-verb relationship is supported by primary usage. fwp.mt.gov
   • A fishing nymph is an artificial fly imitating an immature aquatic insect. publications.iowa.gov
   • Nymphs are normally fished below the surface. orvis.com
   • Nymph can take the water being fished as its grammatical object. orvis.com
   • James W. White describes Kuster nymphing the middle of the Snag and himself subsequently fishing a streamer; the quoted wording is accurate. en.wiktionary.org
5. 5
   kind of butterflynouncountable

   Any of various butterflies belonging to the family Nymphalidae.

   On summer afternoons, common wood nymphs flutter low through the meadow grass.

   The museum drawer held a row of tree nymph butterflies from Southeast Asia, each pinned and labeled.

   Note

   The family is better known as the brush-footed butterflies: in most members, the front legs are small and hairy and are not used for walking, so they seem to stand on four. Admirals, fritillaries and monarchs all belong to it, which makes this a collector's or naturalist's word rather than one heard in ordinary talk about butterflies. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

   • Nymphalidae are commonly called brush-footed butterflies. mdc.mo.gov
   • This describes most members of the family; female Libytheinae (snout butterflies) have functional forelegs. peecnature.org
   • Admirals, fritillaries and monarchs belong to Nymphalidae. en.wikipedia.org

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