guêpe
wasp
noun GHEP Rare
Origin: From Latin vespa (wasp), with the v shifting to gu in Gallo-Romance and then simplified.
Usage Note
guêpe is the common wasp. The related adjective guêpé is rarely used, but une taille de guêpe (a wasp waist) is a set phrase for an extremely narrow waist. The nest is un nid de guêpes or un guêpier, the latter also meaning 'a hornet's nest' figuratively — a tricky situation.
Examples
"Une guêpe l'a piqué au bras."
Natural Translation
A wasp stung him on the arm.
Related Words
Explore French by topic