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nymph

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. (Science: zoology) The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis.

4. (Science: zoology) 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.