nymphology

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noun

The study of mythological nymphs.

OriginAncient Greek λόγος (lógos) ← Proto-Hellenic *lógos ← Proto-Indo-European *lóǵos →
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Meanings

nounnymphology (uncountable)
  1. rareuncountableThe study of mythological nymphs.

    Then comes the point of the warning itself, the first instance of Propertius' outlandish nymphology in this poem […]

    1975, David O. Ross, Backgrounds to Augustan Poetry: Gallus Elegy and Rome, page 76
    2 more examples

    His criticism, however peremptory, is a just pronouncement on most of these literary incursions into the pretty paganism of nymphology.

    1989, Frederic S. Colwell, Rivermen: A Romantic Iconography of the River and the Source, page 110

    […] Boccaccio not only informs us about the nomenclature of nymphology, distinguishing Nereides, Naiades, Napeae, Anadriades, Hymnides and so forth […]

    2018, The Figure of the Nymph in Early Modern Culture, page 381

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*snewbʰ-
  2. Ancient Greekνύμφη (númphē)
  3. Latinnympha
  4. Old Frenchnimphe
  5. Middle Englishnimphe
  6. Englishnymph
  7. Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*lóǵos
  9. Proto-Hellenic*lógos
  10. Ancient Greekλόγος (lógos)
  11. Englishnymphology

From nymph + -ology.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nymphology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nymphology

MLA

“nymphology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nymphology. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nymphology,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nymphology.

Source: nymphology on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.