waspish
adjective
like or suggesting a wasp, especially in behavior.
waspish
1 American
[wos-pish]
/ ˈwɒs pɪʃ /
Waspish
2
American
[wos-pish]
/ ˈwɒs pɪʃ /
Or
WASPish
adjective
waspish
British
/ ˈwɒspɪʃ /
adjective
-
relating to or suggestive of a wasp
-
easily annoyed or angered
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of waspish1
First recorded in 1560–70; wasp + -ish 1
Origin of Waspish2
First recorded in 1965–70; WASP + -ish 1
Explanation
If someone is acting irritable or crabby, you can describe them as waspish. Your sister's waspish complaints about dinner aren't likely to convince your dad to order pizza for her instead. This adjective comes from the word wasp and the notion that wasps are spiteful and ill-tempered, stinging petulantly when they feel cranky. If someone calls you waspish, that's what they mean — you're easily irritated. It's less common than it once was (waspish has been used since at least the mid-1500s), but it's still a great way to describe anyone who's quick to express their anger.
Vocabulary lists containing waspish
Julius Caesar
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Massie could be a waspish commentator and was unsparing in his political commentary.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026
And this was one of the least waspish awards shows in memory, with few jokes at the expense of actors or shows, apart from one about “The Bear” being a comedy without jokes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2024
Ms. Dominczyk can also be seen as a waspish mother-to-be in the much-lauded Netflix film “The Lost Daughter,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
From New York Times ● Jan. 14, 2022
She dissects many flavors of contemporary delusion and distraction with consummate precision and yet never comes across as waspish or savage.
From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2021
Lazlo heard the queen ask, her voice waspish.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Waspish, 41-year-old Bill Jenner is a small man to use the Senate office chambers once occupied by the late great George W. Norris.
From Time Magazine Archive
Waspish Author Peyrefitte writes like a countryman of Rabelais and Voltaire, but in the U.S., where there is no comparable tradition of anticlerical literature, he is likely to shock more than to entertain.
From Time Magazine Archive
Solomon's grandson, who now heads the shrunken business empire, is an Episcopalian with an archetypically Waspish name, Peter Lawson-Johnston.
From Time Magazine Archive
Waspish U. S. Army pursuit planes rose to greet it.
From Time Magazine Archive
For, from this day forth, Ile vse you for my Mirth, yea for my Laughter When you are Waspish Cassi.
From Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
