vespiary

American  

[ves-pee-er-ee] / ˈvɛs piˌɛr i /

noun

vespiaries plural

1. a nest of social wasps.

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vespiary British  

/ ˈvɛspɪərɪ /

noun

1. a nest or colony of social wasps or hornets

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Etymology

Origin of vespiary

1810–20; < Latin vesp ( a ) wasp + (ap)iary

Explanation

A vespiary is a group of wasps. It's also the name of their nest, so you might warn your barbecue guests, "Don't go near the vespiary in the backyard!" Vespiary comes from the Latin vespa, "wasp," and is modeled after the term for a bees' nest, apiary. You may have seen a vespiary and not realized you were looking at a structure built by yellowjackets, hornets, or other wasps. Many of these nests look like they're made of paper or papier-mâché, and most are inhabited by one queen and her worker wasps, who form a colony that's also referred to as a vespiary.

Example Sentences

VESPIARY, a nest of wasps Persons should be very wary Getting near a vespiary.

From Washington Post • Jul. 16, 2015

The background pulsing of the dishwashers, the squeal of announcements that no one hears—it is a vespiary, the Hornet haven.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson