noun
wasp
wosp
noun
1
A flying stinging insect related to bees and ants, usually with a slim waist and yellow-and-black markings.
"A wasp got trapped inside the kitchen and stung the dog."
"Wasps build papery nests under roof eaves."
2
(informal) Someone who acts in a sharp, irritable, or stinging way.
"He can be a real wasp when he's tired."
How to Use Wasp
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stinging flying insect similar to a bee but usually slimmer and more aggressive.
Common mistake
Wasps and bees are often confused: wasps have smoother, shinier bodies and can sting repeatedly, while bees are fuzzier and typically sting only once.
Common pairings
a wasp sting
wasp's nest
a swarm of wasps
Word Forms
wasped past tense, wasps plural, wasps singular
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Etymology
From Old English wæps, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "wasp," ultimately traced to a very old word for "weave" — a nod to the insect's woven-looking nests.