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naiad

Syllabification: (nai·ad)
Pronunciation: /ˈnāad, -əd, nī-/
Definition of naiad

noun (plural naiads or naiades /-əˌdēz/)

  • 1 (also Naiad) (in classical mythology) a water nymph said to inhabit a river, spring, or waterfall.
  • 2the aquatic larva or nymph of a dragonfly, mayfly, or stonefly.
  • 3a submerged aquatic plant with narrow leaves and minute flowers.
    • Genus Najas, family Najadaceae

Origin:

via Latin from Greek Naias, Naiad-, from naein 'to flow'. Use as a term in entomology and botany dates from the early 20th century

naiad in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of naiad in the British & World English dictionary

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