Illustration of wasp
- wasp 1
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
variants
or Wasp
often attributive
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.
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
Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
These include looking at the molecules in bee and wasp stings, as well as spider and scorpion toxins.
—New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2024
Advertisement Moloney pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge, punishable by a maximum prison sentence of eight years, for spraying wasp killer at four Metropolitan Police Department officers.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
Insects like wasps also tend to target spiders, often paralyzing them and using their bodies to feed their larvae.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wasp 
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Noun
What does the height of a hornet or wasp nest say about winter weather?
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
These include looking at the molecules in bee and wasp stings, as well as spider and scorpion toxins.
—New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2024
Advertisement Moloney pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge, punishable by a maximum prison sentence of eight years, for spraying wasp killer at four Metropolitan Police Department officers.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
Insects like wasps also tend to target spiders, often paralyzing them and using their bodies to feed their larvae.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wasp
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Dictionary Entries Near wasp
Cite this Entry
“Wasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wasp. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wasp
1 of 2 noun
ˈwäsp 
ˈwȯsp
: any of numerous winged insects related to the bees and ants that have a slender body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk and that in females and workers are usually capable of giving a very painful sting
WASP
2 of 2 noun
variants
or Wasp
: an American of northern European and Protestant background
—sometimes used disparagingly
Medical Definition
wasp
noun
: 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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