Meaning & use
water spirit
Last updated
UK/ˈwɔːtə ˌspɪrɪt/
US/ˈwɔːtər ˌspɪrɪt/
Meaning
nouncountable
In folklore, a supernatural being that lives in or is associated with a river, lake, or sea.
Grammar: A countable noun: you can say a water spirit or water spirits.
Patterns
- a water spirit of the river
- water spirits in the lake
The villagers believed a water spirit guarded the river.
Stories of water spirits are common in many cultures.
The water spirit was said to pull people under the water.
Word forms
| plural | water spirits |
|---|
Common combinations
- a water spirit of the lake
- They told tales of a water spirit of the lake.
- believe in water spirits
- Many ancient people believed in water spirits.
- the water spirit appears
- In the legend, the water spirit appears at midnight.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nymph
- A nymph is a specific female nature spirit in Greek mythology, often tied to a particular spring or tree, while water spirit is a broader term.
- mermaid
- A mermaid is a creature with a woman's upper body and a fish's tail; a water spirit is more purely supernatural and may not have a fixed form.
Practice
In the story, a water spirit was said to live in the river and pull people under. What is a water spirit?
Choose one answer.
A water spirit is a supernatural being from folklore, not a real animal, current, or object.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “water spirit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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