wasps Definition

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

any of various hymenopterous insects (such as a chalcid or ichneumon wasp) other than wasps with larvae that are parasitic on other arthropods

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.

a burrowing wasp; especially : any of numerous usually solitary wasps (superfamily Sphecoidea) that dig nest burrows in the soil and provision them with insects or spiders paralyzed by stinging

a minute wasp (Blastophaga psenes of the family Agaontidae) that breeds in the caprifig and is the agent of caprification; broadly : any wasp of the same family

any of a family (Cynipidae) of hymenopterous gallflies

any of various solitary vespid wasps (subfamily Eumeninae) that construct nests of hardened mud

a vespid wasp (especially genus Polistes) that builds a nest of papery material

an extremely venomous box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) of Australia that has a bell that may reach over 11 inches (28 centimeters) in width with tentacles that may reach a length of over 78 inches (2 meters)