nympha

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈnym.pʰa]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnim.fa]^[1]

Forms

nympha f (genitive nymphae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride, nymph”).^[2][3][1] A Greek form nymphē is also used.^[2][4] Georges explains the Greek as “the veiled one”, comparing nūbō “to marry”.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Livius Andronicus has “the nymph Calypso”.^[2] Köbler dates him 280/260–before 200 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a nymph, a semi-divine spirit of woods and waters, as Cicero's temple of the Nymphs.^[2] In poetry, following the Greek, it meant a bride or a young woman, as Ovid's wives bringing gifts for their husbands' safe return.^[2][4] By metonymy it meant water or a spring, in Propertius and Martial.^[7]

Pliny uses it of the pupa of bees and wasps.^[2][5] English nymph was borrowed through Old French in the late 14th century.^[8]

Timeline

• 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of Calypso.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero mentions the temple of the Nymphs.^[2][6]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of brides.^[2][6]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the pupa of bees.^[2][6]
• late 14th century – English nymph is borrowed.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A nymph, a spirit of nature.^[2][1]
2. (poetic) A bride; a young woman.^[2][1]
3. (poetic) Water; a spring.^[7]
4. The pupa of an insect.^[2][1]

Word family

• nymphālis
• nymphigena

Related words

• nymphaea
• nymphēum
• lympha
• English nymph

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com