Fair nymphs, and well-dressed youths around her shone … Alexander Pope
3
: any of various immature insects
especially: a larva of an insect (such as a grasshopper, true bug, or mayfly) with incomplete (see incompletesense 3) metamorphosis (see metamorphosissense 2) that differs from the imago (see imagosense 1) especially in size and in its incompletely developed wings and genitalia
she bought the book of fairy tales for the beautiful engravings of nymphs and fairies featured between the stories the neighborhood nymphs were gathered at the local pizza parlor
Recent Examples on the WebWhat comes to the attention of two handsome local boys — one sweet (Taylor John Smith), one sinister (Harris Dickinson), and otherwise indistinguishable — though, is her blossoming swamp-nymph beauty. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 15 July 2022 It was said that Pan was in love with a nymph named Syringa. Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022 Harrison, however, fishing subsurface with a nymph, soon hooked up. Chris Santella, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2022 The eggs hatch into an aquatic larval stage called a nymph, said Mass Audubon. Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2022 By the Fourth of July weekend, the Phoenix resident developed a 100-degree fever, chills and swollen nymph nodes throughout his body. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2022 When the larvae complete their aquatic development, the nymph climbs out of the water, and its outer exoskeleton splits open, allowing the adult dragonfly to emerge, said Mass Audubon. Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2022 It’s named after the water-nymph in Homer’s Odyssey, and is found in the shade of Hemlock trees transforming to its pink and purple flower. Allyson Portee, Forbes, 3 July 2022 When his ardor flagged, the nymph’s task was to rekindle it. Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English nimphe, from Middle French, from Latin nympha bride, nymph, from Greek nymphē — more at nuptial