4. (Zoöl.) Any one of a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including
the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; -- called
also naiad.
||Nym"pha (?), n.; pl. Nymphæ (#). [L. See Nymph a goddess.] 1. (Zoöl.)
||Same as Nymph, 3.
2. pl. (Anat.) Two folds of mucous membrane, within the labia, at the
opening of the vulva.
||Nym*phæ"a (?), n. [L., the water lily, Gr. &?;.] (Bot.) A genus of
||aquatic plants having showy flowers (white, blue, pink, or yellow,
||often fragrant), including the white water lily and the Egyptia
||lotus.
Recent critics have endeavored to show that this genus should be called
Castalia, and the name Nymphæa transferred to what is now known as
Nuphar.
Nymph"al (?), a. Of or pertaining to a nymph or nymphs; nymphean.
||Nym*pha"les (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) An extensive family of
||butterflies including the nymphs, the satyrs, the monarchs, the
||heliconias, and others; -- called also brush-footed butterflies.
Nym*phe"an (?), a. [Gr. &?;. See Nymph.] Of, pertaining to, or
appropriate to, nymphs; inhabited by nymphs; as, a nymphean cave.
Nymph"et (?), n. A little or young nymph. [Poetic] "The nymphets
sporting there." Drayton.
{ Nymph"ic (?), Nymph"ic*al (?), } a. [Gr. &?; bridal.] Of or
pertaining to nymphs.
Nym*phip"a*rous (?), a. [Nymph + L. parere to produce.] (Zoöl.)
Producing pupas or nymphs.
Nymph"ish (?), a. Relating to nymphs; ladylike. "Nymphish war."
Drayton.
{ Nymph"like` (?), Nymph"ly (?), } a. Resembling, or characteristic of,
a nymph.
Nym"pho*lep`sy (?), n. [Gr. &?; a nymph + &?; to seize.] A species of
demoniac enthusiasm or possession coming upon one who had accidentally
looked upon a nymph; ecstasy. [R.] De Quincey.
The nympholepsy of some fond despair.
Byron.
Nym`pho*lep"tic (?), a. Under the influence of nympholepsy; ecstatic;
frenzied. [Poetic]
Nym`pho*ma"ni*a (?), n. [Gr. &?; a bride + &?; madness.] (Med.) Morbid
and uncontrollable sexual desire in women, constituting a true disease.
Nym"pho*ma`ny (?), n. [Cf. F. nymphomanie.] (Med.) Same as Nymphomania.
Nym*phot"o*my (?), n. [Nympha + Gr. &?; to cut.] (Med.) Excision of the
nymphæ.
Nys (?). Is not. See Nis. Chaucer. Spenser.
||Nys*tag"mus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; drowsiness, fr. &?; to nod in
||sleep, to slumber.] (Med.) A rapid involuntary oscillation of the
||eyeballs.
Ny*u"la (?), n. (Zoöl.) A species of ichneumon (Herpestes nyula). Its
fur is beautifully variegated by closely set zigzag markings.