1. A goddess of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters. "Where were ye, nymphs, when the remorseless deep Closed o'er the head of your loved Lycidas ?" (Milton)
2. Hence: A lovely young girl; a maiden; a damsel. "Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered." (Shak)
3. The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis.
4. Any one of a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.
Synonym: naiad.
Origin: L. Nympha nymph, bride, young woman, Gr., cf. F. Nymphe. Cf. Nuptial.
Source: Websters Dictionary
(01 Mar 1998)