nymph

noun

• 1a mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations.
• chiefly literary a beautiful young woman.

• 2an immature form of an insect that does not change greatly as it grows, e.g., a dragonfly, mayfly, or locust. Compare with larva.
• an artificial fly made to resemble the aquatic nymph of an insect, used in fishing.

• 3a mainly brown butterfly that frequents woods and forest glades.

  • Several genera in the subfamily Satyrinae, family Nymphalidae. See also wood nymph