Definition of dryadnext
as in nymph
a mythical goddess represented as a young girl and said to live outdoors dryads were said to live within trees, their lives ending when the life of the tree ended

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dryad In Ovid’s version of the story, after cutting down a sacred oak, Erysichthon is cursed with insatiable hunger by the dryad nymph who inhabited it. Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025 Having regained his health, Geralt heads off with Jaskier and the dryad Milva to find Ciri, following a little skirmish with some power-mad guards. Nick Romano, EW.com, 27 July 2023 Merlin and Cosmo are both in their 30s, with dark curly hair and similarly rangy builds, though Merlin’s face is more delicate, as though a distant ancestor might have been part elf or dryad. Jennifer Kahn, New York Times, 8 June 2023 Players will start out controlling a centaur with a whip as their dungeon manager, but eventually a dryad enchantress and monkey engineer can also be unlocked, with each master necessitating various styles of gameplay. Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2021 Isaac, the dryad Lena Greenwood, and the fire-spider Smudge lead the efforts to uncover the mystery. John Booth, WIRED, 7 Aug. 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dryad
Noun
  • Circe, the poem’s speaker, instructs the nymphs in a recipe for cooking pork.
    Bailey Sincox, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
  • And the ocean nymphs try out this wonder on more plants, and are delighted that the same thing happens at its touch, and repeat it by scattering the seeds from the plants through the waves.
    Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The Good Will Hunting actor contrasted his wife of 20 years, who stunned in a vivid blue cobalt gown featuring a plunging neckline and a form-fitting silhouette that flared out into a mermaid-style design.
    Lara Walsh, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her first look for the ceremony was a bright white dress with a sheer lace V-neck bodice with an opaque mermaid skirt, per Vogue.
    Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dryad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dryad. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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