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.

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