1
as in nymph
a mythical goddess represented as a young girl and said to live outdoors in Greek mythology, naiads supposedly drowned the young men with whom they became enamored

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2
as in larva
a young wingless often wormlike form (as a grub or caterpillar) that hatches from the egg of many insects students in science class learning how to distinguish a dragonfly naiad from an earthworm

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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 naiad Today, the naiads frolic in water that is periodically drained for cleaning and maintenance. David Laskin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2024 And now, as played with fierce physicality and grueling commitment by Annette Bening, Diana is a movie character: an impossible person who achieved the impossible, a naiad whose truer mythological counterpart might be Narcissus. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023 Leighton set his youthful figure — a classical nymph or naiad — in a Mediterranean setting. Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2022 The lovely Arcadia region, lush with cypress, poplar, and olive groves, bears traces of the virgin wilderness where nymphs, naiads, and the horned god Pan once frolicked. Thomas Linkel, National Geographic, 18 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiad
Noun
  • The company offers a few tips: Add them to compost: Dead cicadas and nymph shells can be composted.
    Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • It’s based on measurements of tick nymphs and full grown ticks in sample areas.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • The larva will soon be done feeding, or may have already left the leaf, having matured into an adult that flew away.
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025
  • The animal is a large male that may have hitched a ride as a larva in the ballast water of a boat.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Those visuals included a mother wolf and her cubs, a mermaid floating underwater and CGI-Shakira crying a teardrop that turned into a shower of diamonds.
    Olivia Petty, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
  • The Poseidon and Amphitrite statue pays homage to the mythological guardians of the sea and preside over structures engineered for coral regrowth, while the interactive mermaid tail and diver selfie sculptures encourages visitors to literally see themselves as stewards of the ocean.
    Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Naiad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiad. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

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