Word
nymph
US/ˈnɪmf/
UK/nˈɪmf/
Definition
n. a young female insect or spider that looks like an adult but is not yet able to reproduce. In fishing, it also refers to a small fish that is still growing.
n. a young female insect or arachnid that resembles the adult form but has not yet reached sexual maturity. In a fishing context, it refers to a juvenile fish, particularly one that is still developing into a full-grown specimen.
Examples
“The trout were feeding on the nymphs in the stream.”
“Anglers often use artificial nymphs to mimic the appearance of young insects that live at the bottom of the river.”
“The river's ecosystem depends on the nymph stage of various aquatic insects, which serve as a primary food source for larger fish before they emerge as adults.”
Examples
simple
“The trout were feeding on the nymphs in the stream.”
contextual
“Anglers often use artificial nymphs to mimic the appearance of young insects that live at the bottom of the river.”
complex
“The river's ecosystem depends on the nymph stage of various aquatic insects, which serve as a primary food source for larger fish before they emerge as adults.”
Real-World Examples
“Emerging from the surf are three columns and a jumble of gnarly barnacles and tendrils, plus a gleaming scallop shell containing a pearl – a reference to Boucher’s bejewelled water nymphs.” Etymology
From Middle English nimphe, from Old English nymphē and Old French nimphe, both from Latin nympha (“nymph, bride”), from Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride”). Doublet of nympha.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/nymph