wæsp

Old English

Alternative forms

  • wæps
  • wæfs

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wepsō-, from Proto-Indo-European *wobʰseh₂ (“wasp”), from *webʰ- (“weave”) (referring to the insect's woven nests). Germanic cognates include Old Saxon waspa, wepsia (Low German Wöps and Wösp, Dutch wesp), Old High German wefsa (German Wespe), Norwegian veps/kvefs. The Indo-European root is also the source of Old Breton guohi, Latin vespa (derivations including Italian Vespa, scooter), Lithuanian vapsvà, Russian оса (osá). The word is also related to English web and weave.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wæsp/

Noun

wæsp m

  1. a wasp

Descendants

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