Nymph vs. Siren — What's the Difference?

A nymph (Greek: νύμφη, nýmphē; Ancient: [nýmpʰɛː], Modern: [nímfi]) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are typically tied to a specific place or landform, and are usually depicted as beautiful maidens.

Greek Mythology One of a group of sea nymphs who by their sweet singing lured mariners to destruction on the rocks surrounding their island.

A mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations

Siren A woman regarded as irresistibly alluring.

An immature form of an insect that does not change greatly as it grows, e.g. a dragonfly, mayfly, or locust.

A device in which compressed air or steam is driven against a rotating perforated disk to create a loud, often wailing sound as a signal or warning.

A mainly brown butterfly that frequents woods and forest glades.

An electronic device producing a similar sound as a signal or warning

Greek & Roman Mythology Any of numerous minor deities represented as beautiful maidens inhabiting and sometimes personifying features of nature such as trees, waters, and mountains.

Any of several slender aquatic salamanders of the family Sirenidae of eastern North America, having external gills, small forelimbs, and no hind limbs.

A sexually mature and attractive young woman.

(Greek mythology) One of a group of nymphs who lured mariners to their death on the rocks.

The immature form of an insect, such as a grasshopper, that does not pass through a pupal stage during metamorphosis. Nymphs resemble adults but are smaller and lack fully developed wings.

One who sings sweetly and charms.

The eight-legged immature form of certain arachnids, such as ticks and mites.

A dangerously seductive woman.

Any female nature spirit associated with water, forests, grotto, wind, etc.

(biology) A member of an order of mammals of Sirenia.

A young girl, especially one who is attractive, beautiful or graceful.

(biology) A member of a genus of aquatic salamanders of the family Sirenidae, commonly used for all species subsumed under the family of Sirenidae.

(entomology) The larva of certain insects.

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Hestina.

(entomology) Any of various butterflies of the family Nymphalidae.

A device, either mechanical or electronic, that makes a piercingly loud sound as an alarm or signal, or the sound from such a device (first recorded 1879).

A goddess of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters.

(music) A musical instrument, one of the few aerophones in the percussion section of the symphony orchestra (patented as Acme Siren in 1895).

A lovely young girl; a maiden; a damsel.

An instrument for demonstrating the laws of beats and combination tones.

The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis.

An astrophysical event that can be used for calculating cosmic distances.

Any one of a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; - called also naiad.

To make a noise with, or as if with, a siren.

(classical mythology) a minor nature goddess usually depicted as a beautiful maiden;

Relating to or like a siren.

A larva of an insect with incomplete metamorphosis (as the dragonfly or mayfly)

One of three sea nymphs, - or, according to some writers, of two, - said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy, and to sing with such sweetness that they lured mariners to destruction.

A voluptuously beautiful young woman

An enticing, dangerous woman.

Something which is insidious or deceptive.

A mermaid.

Any long, slender amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidæ, destitute of hind legs and pelvis, and having permanent external gills as well as lungs. They inhabit the swamps, lagoons, and ditches of the Southern United States. The more common species (Siren lacertina) is dull lead-gray in color, and becames two feet long.

An instrument for producing musical tones and for ascertaining the number of sound waves or vibrations per second which produce a note of a given pitch. The sounds are produced by a perforated rotating disk or disks. A form with two disks operated by steam or highly compressed air is used sounding an alarm to vessels in fog.

Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a siren song.

A sea nymph (part woman and part bird) supposed to lure sailors to destruction on the rocks where the nymphs lived;

A woman who is considered to be dangerously seductive

A warning signal that is a loud wailing sound

An acoustic device producing a loud often wailing sound as a signal or warning

Eel-like aquatic North American salamander with small forelimbs and no hind limbs; have permanent external gills