Entry Word: nymph

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 a mythical goddess represented as a young girl and said to live outdoors <she bought the book of fairy tales for the beautiful engravings of nymphs and fairies featured between the stories>

Synonyms dryad, naiad, oread

Related Words mermaid, siren

2 a young wingless often wormlike form (as a grub or caterpillar) that hatches from the egg of many insects <mayfly nymphs> — see larva