wasp
noun (1)
\ ˈwäsp
, ˈwȯsp\
, ˈwȯsp\
Definition of wasp
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: any of numerous social or solitary winged hymenopterous insects (especially families Sphecidae and Vespidae) that usually have a slender smooth body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk, well-developed wings, biting mouthparts, and in the females and workers an often formidable sting, and that are largely carnivorous and often provision their nests with insects or spiders killed or paralyzed by stinging for their larvae to feed on — compare bee
2
: any of various hymenopterous insects (such as a chalcid or ichneumon wasp) other than wasps with larvae that are parasitic on other arthropods
\ ˈwäsp
, ˈwȯsp\
, ˈwȯsp\
variants:
or Wasp
Definition of WASP (Entry 2 of 2)
sometimes disparaging
: an American of Northern European and especially British ancestry and of Protestant background
especially
: a member of the dominant and the most privileged class of people in the U.S.
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Other Words from wasp
Noun (1)
wasplike
\ ˈwäsp-ˌlīk
, ˈwȯsp- \
adjective
, ˈwȯsp- \
adjective
Noun (2)
Waspdom
\ ˈwäsp-dəm
, ˈwȯsp- \
noun,
sometimes disparaging
, ˈwȯsp- \
noun,
sometimes disparaging
Waspish
\ ˈwä-spish
, ˈwȯ- \
adjective,
sometimes disparaging
, ˈwȯ- \
adjective,
sometimes disparaging
Waspishness
noun,
sometimes disparaging
Examples of wasp in a Sentence
Noun (2)
Most of the members of the club are wealthy WASPs. The college had been known as a bastion of WASP privilege.Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The few that weren’t outright stolen had the ants and wasps in them. — Bonnie Blodgett, Twin Cities, "Blundering Gardener: A super hardy variety in a pear tree," 27 July 2019 The three wasp species are Oobius agrili, Tetrastichus planipennisi, and Spathius galinae. — Alyssa Lukpat, BostonGlobe.com, "Maine Forest Service releasing wasps to kill invasive forest beetles," 17 July 2019 The service says the tiny, nonstinging wasps will be released Thursday to help control the emerald ash borer infestation in the state. — USA TODAY, "Saving whales, Manson murder house: News from around our 50 states," 17 July 2019 Yellow jacket wasps are known to build large nests, which can reach the size of a volleyball and contain up to 5,000 workers. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Alabamians, Beware the Wasp ‘Super Nest’," 1 July 2019 And yes, the wasps will sting—repeatedly—in defense of their home. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Alabamians, Beware the Wasp ‘Super Nest’," 1 July 2019 But entomologists believe that milder winters and an abundant food supply allow the wasp colonies to survive and enter spring with larger numbers. — Mallory Hughes, CNN, "Massive wasp nests as big as a car are appearing in Alabama (again)," 1 July 2019 Usually, the winter freeze kills off wasp colonies. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "Alabama Officials Warn of Horrifying Wasp “Super Nests”," 1 July 2019 First, the wasp's tiny larvae hitch onto the spider's abdomen. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "How Wasps Turn Spiders Into Obedient Zombies," 30 Apr. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wasp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for wasp
wasp
noun
English Language Learners Definition of wasp
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a black-and-yellow flying insect that can sting
WASP
noun
English Language Learners Definition of WASP (Entry 2 of 2)
US, often disapproving
: an American whose family originally came from northern Europe and especially Britain and who is considered to be part of the most powerful group in society
See the full definition for WASP in the English Language Learners Dictionary
wasp
noun
\ ˈwäsp
, ˈwȯsp\
, ˈwȯsp\
Kids Definition of wasp
: a winged insect related to the bee and ant that has a slender body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk and that in females and workers is capable of giving a very painful sting
wasp
noun
\ ˈwäsp, ˈwȯsp
\
\
Medical Definition of wasp
: any of numerous social or solitary winged insects (especially families Sphecidae and Vespidae) of the order Hymenoptera that usually have a slender smooth body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk, well-developed wings, biting mouthparts, and in the females and workers an often formidable sting
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