naiad /ˈnāˌad, , ˈneɪˌæd 
, ˈnīˌad, , ˈnaɪˌæd , ˈnāəd, ˈneɪəd / ▸ noun (plural naiads or
naiades /-əˌdēz/) 1 (also Naiad) (in classical mythology) a water nymph said to inhabit a river, spring, or waterfall. 2 the aquatic larva or nymph of a dragonfly, mayfly, or stonefly. 3 a submerged aquatic plant with narrow leaves and minute flowers. Genus
Najas, family
Najadaceae. – ORIGIN via Latin from Greek Naias, Naiad-, from naein ‘to flow’. Use as a term in entomology and botany dates from the early 20th century.
EnglishOxford New American Dictionary
