nympha

English

Etymology

From Latin nympha, from Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride, nymph”). Doublet of nymph.

Pronunciation

• (UK, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnɪmfə/
• Rhymes: -ɪmfə

Noun

nympha (plural nymphae)

1. (entomology) A nymph.
2. (anatomy, now rare) Each of the labia minora.
3. Each of a pair of processes in certain bivalves, to which the ends of the external ligament are attached.

Interlingua

Noun

nympha (plural nymphas)

1. nymph

Latin

Hylas et nymphae (Hylas and the Nymphs)

Alternative forms

• nymphē

Etymology

From Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride, nymph”). Compare with Latin lympha.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈnym.pʰa/, [ˈnʏmpʰä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈnim.fa/, [ˈnimfä]

Noun

nympha f (genitive nymphae); first declension

1. bride, mistress
2. young woman
3. (Greek mythology) nymph (mythical demi-goddess)
4. pupa or nymph of an insect

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	nympha	nymphae
Genitive	nymphae	nymphārum
Dative	nymphae	nymphīs
Accusative	nympham	nymphās
Ablative	nymphā	nymphīs
Vocative	nympha	nymphae

Hyponyms

• nympha marīna (“mermaid”)

Derived terms

• nymphālis
• nymphigena

Related terms

• nymphaea
• nymphēum

Descendants

• Asturian: ninfa
• Catalan: nimfa
• Old French: nimphe
  • French: nymphe
  • → Middle Dutch: nymphe
    • Dutch: nimf
  • → Middle English: nimphe, nymphe, nemphe
    • English: nymph
• Italian: ninfa
• Portuguese: ninfa
• Romanian: nimfă
• Sicilian: ninfa
• Spanish: ninfa
• Welsh: nymff

References

• “nympha”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “nympha”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• nympha in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.