Home › Glossary › Letter N

Naïs

Literary Character
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A water nymph in pastoral and mythological poetry, representing springs, rivers, and the feminine spirit of fresh water.

Detailed Definition
Naïs appears in classical poetry as one of the Naiads, nymphs inhabiting springs and streams; her presence in pastoral verse connects shepherds to the divine powers of nature. The character embodies the sacredness of water sources essential to pastoral life, her beauty and divinity elevating the landscape beyond mere scenery. Naïs demonstrates pastoral poetry's mythological dimension, populating the countryside with divine beings who make the natural world enchanted and ensure that shepherds move through spaces alive with spiritual presence.
Example
Example in poetry:
Naïs appears in classical poetry as a water nymph or naiad; Poets use Naïs to represent aquatic beauty and nature spirits; In pastoral and mythological tradition, Naïs embodies the divine feminine presence in natural settings; A poet might invoke Naïs when depicting springs, streams, or natural sanctuaries; Naïs serves as a connection between pastoral and mythological realms; The character adds supernatural dimension to pastoral landscapes
Additional Notes
Naïs represents a water nymph or naiad, divine feminine spirits inhabiting springs, streams, and freshwater sources. Unlike mortal women, naiads embody nature's sacred dimension. Poets invoke Naïs when depicting sacred natural spaces, the divine presence in landscape, and supernatural feminine beauty. The character demonstrates pastoral's incorporation of mythological elements, showing rural settings as inhabited not just by mortal shepherds but also by divine beings who personify natural features and connect landscape with the sacred.
Also Known As
water nymph stream maiden fresh spring spirit
Skip to main content