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wasp

wasp

45 1.0
A flying insect like a bee with a narrow waist and a sting, often yellow and black
  • noun
  • /wɑsp/
translation icon : avispa
  • Oh, it's a black wasp carrying a big spider.
  • bees and wasps
  • wasps attack
  • adult wasps

Would you rather be stung by a warrior wasp or a duck billed platypus?

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Examples

  • He was stung by a wasp while playing in the backyard.

  • The picnic was ruined when a wasp started buzzing around our food.

  • There was like a wasp inside the house.

  • How can you forget about the wasp?

  • So we went and picked up some wasp traps.

  • Billy is taking care of the wasp nest.

  • Next thing you know, the place is full of wasps.

  • Remember when that wasp destroyed the tarantula?

  • Suddenly you realize there's a wasp crawling on your arm.

  • Four or five Wasps nests had to be removed from this house.

Synonyms

hornet
vswasp
31 4.1

A large wasp with a strong sting that lives in paper nests

is the general insect term covering both smaller and larger kinds
yellow jacket
vswasp
  • US
1 3.6

A small aggressive wasp with yellow and black stripes that often builds nests in the ground

is the general insect label used for many sizes and nesting habits
yellowjacket
vswasp
  • US
1 4.6

A small aggressive wasp with yellow and black stripes that stings painfully

is the general insect term including less aggressive or larger species
vespid
vswasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A wasp like a yellowjacket or hornet that lives in a colony and builds paper nests

is the general insect group covering both social and solitary species
vespid wasp
vswasp
  • Specialized
8.0

A social wasp that builds nests, like yellowjackets or hornets

is the broader insect term not limited to that family
common wasp
vswasp
  • UK
2.4

A small flying insect with black and yellow stripes that makes nests near houses and can sting

is the general insect name including species not found near people
paper wasp
vswasp
4.7

A social insect that makes papery nests from chewed plant fibers

is the wider insect term not focused on nesting material
yellow hornet
vswasp
6.8

A small wasp with yellow marks that lives in nests in the ground

is the general insect term not limited to small ground nesters
sphecoid
vswasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A wasp that lives alone and hunts insects, often making a nest in soil

is the general insect label that includes social colony builders
sphecoid wasp
vswasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A solitary wasp that digs burrows and hunts other insects

is the broader insect term including social species and colonies
digger wasp
vswasp
9.5

A wasp that lives alone, digs a nest in soil and brings stung insects for its young to eat

is the general insect term which also covers non digging species
mason wasp
vswasp
9.1

A wasp that lives alone and builds small mud nests for its young

is the general insect term including social nest builders as well
potter wasp
vswasp
8.9

A wasp that lives alone and builds vase-shaped mud nests for its eggs

is the general insect label that also covers group living species
Sphex
vswasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A wasp that digs a nest in the ground and hunts insects alone

is the general insect term that includes communal nesting behaviour
cicada killer
vswasp
  • US
9.5

A large wasp that hunts cicadas

is the general insect name including species not specialized in hunting
velvet ant
vswasp
9.9

A solitary wasp with soft bright hair and wingless females

is the general insect term covering winged and less hairy forms
cynipid wasp
vswasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wasp that lays eggs on oak leaves causing round growths

is the general insect term not restricted to gall producing types
chalcid wasp
vswasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A very small wasp whose young grow inside other insects' eggs or young, helping to control pests

is the general insect term including non parasitic life cycles

Compounds

gall wasp
  • Specialized
3 8.6

A small wasp that makes growths on oak leaves where its young grow

1 8.8

A very narrow waist often seen as attractive

chalcid wasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A very small wasp whose young grow inside other insects' eggs or young, helping to control pests

2.4

A small flying insect with black and yellow stripes that makes nests near houses and can sting

cynipid gall wasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wasp that makes round growths called galls on oak trees and other plants

cynipid wasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wasp that lays eggs on oak leaves causing round growths

A wasp that lives alone, digs a nest in soil and brings stung insects for its young to eat

A wasp that lives alone and builds small mud nests for its young

A social insect that makes papery nests from chewed plant fibers

A wasp that lives alone and builds vase-shaped mud nests for its eggs

sphecoid wasp
  • Specialized
9.9

A solitary wasp that digs burrows and hunts other insects

vespid wasp
  • Specialized
8.0

A social wasp that builds nests, like yellowjackets or hornets

A body shape with a very small waist compared with the rest of the body

How Small

gnat
16 1.3
midge
4 6.1
mosquito
70 1.0
fly
327 1.0
wasp
45 1.0
bee
353 1.0

Surface Forms

wasp singular
wasps plural

Etymology

Wasp comes from an old German word, the same sound you still hear in German Wespe and Dutch wesp, so many languages kept this name for the yellow-and-black insect. That's why wasp today means the slim insect that can 'sting' you.