wisp

[ wisp ]

noun

1. a handful or small bundle of straw, hay, or the like.
2. any thin tuft, lock, mass, etc.:

   wisps of hair.

3. a thin puff or streak, as of smoke; slender trace.
4. a person or thing that is small, delicate, or barely discernible:

   a mere wisp of a lad; a wisp of a frown.

5. a whisk broom.
6. Chiefly British Dialect.
   1. a pad or twist of straw, as used to rub down a horse.
   2. a twisted bit of straw used as a torch.
7. a will-o'-the-wisp or ignis fatuus.

verb (used with object)

1. to twist into a wisp.

WISP

¹

/ wɪsp /

acronym for

1. Wireless Information Service Provider: an internet service provider set up to deal with and deliver internet services to clients through wireless access points

wisp

²

/ wɪsp /

noun

1. a thin, light, delicate, or fibrous piece or strand, such as a streak of smoke or a lock of hair
2. a small bundle, as of hay or straw
3. anything slender and delicate

   a wisp of a girl

4. a mere suggestion or hint
5. a flock of birds, esp snipe

verb

1. introften foll byaway to move or act like a wisp
2. dialect.
   tr to twist into a wisp
3. tr to groom (a horse) with a wisp of straw, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈwispˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• wisplike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wisp¹

1300–50; Middle English wisp, wips; akin to wipe

Word History and Origins

Origin of wisp¹

C14: variant of wips, of obscure origin; compare wipe

Example Sentences

“This is the future,” Mahoney said as the LaserWeeder moved through the lettuce, leaving small wisps of smoke in its wake.

From Los Angeles Times

As for the northern lights, the geomagnetic storm that brought brilliant wisps of red, green and purple to Seattle’s skies “is starting to decrease,” Lindeman said.

From Seattle Times

Don’t ignore the wisps of cilantro nor the frizzled tangles of scallion.

From Seattle Times

This was what the Portuguese composer called her own take on the fantastical world of Cervantes’ — a kind of processional colored calm in which melodic or rhythmic wisps reconfigure, never quite to be captured.

From Los Angeles Times

This photo captured a fraction of a second in time, showing wisps of solar energy and light fighting to get around the dark side of the moon.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• tuft