nymph

English

Wikipedia

Nymph of a mantis.

Etymology

From Old French nimphe, from Latin nympha (“nymph, bride”), from Ancient Greek νύμφη (numphē, “bride”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /ˈnɪmf/

Noun

nymph (plural nymphs or nymphæ)

Hylas and the Nymphs by John William Waterhouse, 1896

1. The larva of certain insects.
2. (Greek & Roman mythology) Any minor female deity associated with water, forests, grotto, etc.
3. A young girl, especially one who inspires lustful feelings.

Synonyms

• (insect larva): instar, naiad
• (attractive young woman): lolita, nymphet, nymphette

Derived terms

• nymphet
• nymphette

Related terms

• lymph
• nympho
• nymphomania
• nymphomaniac

See also

• alseid
• auloniad
• crinaeae
• dryads
• hamadryads
• Hesperides
• limnades
• meliae
• naiads
• napaeae
• nereids
• oceanids
• oreads
• pegaeae

Translations

insect larva

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 幼蟲 (cmn), 幼虫 (cmn) (yòuchóng)

• Czech: nymfa (cs) f
• Danish: nymfe (da) c
• Finnish: nymfi (fi)
• Greek: νύμφη (el) (nýmfi) f, χρυσαλλίδα (el) (chrysallída) f
• Italian: ninfa (it) f
• Japanese: ニンフ (ja) (ninfu), 幼虫 (ja) (ようちゅう, yōchū)

• Polish: nimfa (pl) f
• Portuguese: ninfa (pt) f
• Romanian: nimfă (ro) f
• Russian: личинка (ru) (ličinka)
• Serbo-Croatian: nimfa (sh) f
• Swedish: nymf (sv) c
• Welsh: nymff (cy) f

mythology: minor water, forest or mountain deity

• Czech: nymfa (cs) f
• Danish: nymfe (da) c
• Finnish: nymfi (fi)
• French: nymphe (fr) f
• German: Nymphe (de) f
• Greek: νύμφη (el) (nýmfi) f
• Italian: ninfa (it) f
• Japanese: ニンフ (ja) (ninfu), 妖精 (ja) (ようせい, yōsei)
• Polish: nimfa (pl) f

• Portuguese: ninfa (pt) f
• Romanian: nimfă (ro) f
• Russian: нимфа (ru) (nímfa) f
• Serbian: rusalka f, vila f
• Serbo-Croatian: nimfa (sh) f
• Spanish: ninfa (es) f
• Swahili: nimfi (sw)
• Swedish: nymf (sv) c
• Thai: นางไม้ (th)

young girl which may inspire lust

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 美女 (cmn) (měinǚ)

• German: Nymphomanin (de)
• Greek: (pejorative) νυμφίδιο (el) (nymfídio) n
• Italian: ninfa (it) f
• Japanese: 美女 (ja) (びじょ, bijo), 乙女 (ja) (おとめ, otome)

• Portuguese: ninfa (pt) f
• Russian: красавица (ru) (krasávica) f, красотка (ru) (krasótka) f, нимфа (ru) (nímfa) f
• Scottish Gaelic: ainnir (gd) f
• Swahili: mwanamwali (sw)