nymph

2 definitions • 4 examples

(in ancient Greek and Roman traditional stories) a goddess or spirit in the form of a young woman, living in a tree, river, mountain, etc.:

We played the part of wood nymphs dancing around Snow White in the forest.

The god Apollo is maddened with love for the virginal nymph Daphne, and runs after her.

a form of an insect that has not yet developed into an adult, but is often very similar to an adult:

It is possible that tick nymphs could repeatedly bite a person.

The nymph feeds and grows, moulting its skin several times.