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
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 July 2025
The tiny flowers of herbs like dill, fennel, parsley, and cilantro are especially attractive to lacewings, hover flies, parasitic wasps, and lady beetles.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
The zapper emits a blue-violet light that attracts flying insects like mosquitoes, flies, gnats, and wasps, then zaps them with 4,200 volts of electricity.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 18 July 2025
Due to nymph feeding patterns, honeydew may be found on nearby plants and other surfaces through the spring, which could attract other insects, such as wasps and butterflies.
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wasp
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Noun
Like wasps and bees, ants are social and live in a colony with one or more queens.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 July 2025
The tiny flowers of herbs like dill, fennel, parsley, and cilantro are especially attractive to lacewings, hover flies, parasitic wasps, and lady beetles.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
The zapper emits a blue-violet light that attracts flying insects like mosquitoes, flies, gnats, and wasps, then zaps them with 4,200 volts of electricity.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 18 July 2025
Due to nymph feeding patterns, honeydew may be found on nearby plants and other surfaces through the spring, which could attract other insects, such as wasps and butterflies.
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wasp
Cite this Entry
“Wasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wasp. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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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