wisp
pronunciation
How to pronounce wisp in British English:
UK [wɪsp]
How to pronounce wisp in American English:
US [wɪsp]
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- Noun:
- a small tuft or lock
- a small person
- a small bundle of straw or hay
- a flock of snipe
Word Origin
- wisp (n.)
- early 14c., "handful or bundle of hay, grass, etc.," used for burning or cleaning or as a cushion; perhaps from an unrecorded Old English word, cognate with Norwegian and Swedish visp "wisp," of unknown origin; sometimes said to be connected with whisk or with Middle Low German and Middle Dutch wispel "a measure of grain." Meaning "thin, filmy portion" first attested 1836.
Example
- 1. Life is described as a mist , a fast runner , a breath , and a wisp of smoke .
- 2. Perhaps well-chosen future observations and clever deductive reasoning will unlock the true origin of this enigmatic wisp in the future .