/ nɪmf; NAmE / noun
1.
(in ancient Greek and Roman stories) a spirit of nature in the form of a young woman, that lives in rivers, woods, etc.
2.
( biology ) a young insect that has a body form which compares with that of the adult :
a dragonfly nymph
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French nimphe , from Latin nympha , from Greek numphē nymph, bride; related to Latin nubere be the wife of.