wasp

[ wosp ]
/ wɒsp /

noun

any of numerous social or solitary hymenopterous insects of the Vespidae, Sphecidae, and allied families, generally having a long, slender body and narrow waist and, in the female, a stinger.
a person who is snappish or petulant.

Origin of wasp

before 900; Middle English waspe, Old English wæsp, metathetic variant of wæps, itself variant of wæfs, akin to Dutch wesp, German Wespe, Latin vespa

OTHER WORDS FROM wasp

wasp·like, adjective

Words nearby wasp

washup, washwoman, washy, wasim akram, wasn't, wasp, wasp waist, waspish, wasps, the, waspy, wassail

Example sentences from the Web for wasplike

British Dictionary definitions for wasplike (1 of 2)

wasp
/ (wɒsp) /

noun

any social hymenopterous insect of the family Vespidae, esp Vespula vulgaris (common wasp), typically having a black-and-yellow body and an ovipositor specialized for stinging See also potter wasp, hornet Related adjective: vespine
any of various solitary hymenopterans, such as the digger wasp and gall wasp

Derived forms of wasp

wasplike, adjective waspy, adjective waspily, adverb waspiness, noun

Word Origin for wasp

Old English wæsp; related to Old Saxon waspa, Old High German wefsa, Latin vespa

British Dictionary definitions for wasplike (2 of 2)

Wasp

WASP

/ (wɒsp) /

n acronym for (in the US)

White Anglo-Saxon Protestant: a person descended from N European, usually Protestant stock, forming a group often considered the most dominant, privileged, and influential in American society

Derived forms of Wasp

Waspy, adjective

Cultural definitions for wasplike

WASP

An acronym for “white Anglo-Saxon Protestant” — a member of what many consider to be the most privileged and influential group in American society.