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vespa

wasp

noun VEH-spah Rare

Origin: From Latin 'vespa' (wasp). Also the brand name of the famous Italian scooter, inspired by the insect's shape.

Usage Note

Vespa means wasp (the insect) and is also the iconic Italian scooter brand. When referring to the brand, it is capitalized (la Vespa) and still feminine. Le vespe is the regular plural for the insect. The sting is il pungiglione; to be stung is essere punto da una vespa.

Examples

"Una vespa mi ha punto sul braccio."

Natural Translation

A wasp stung me on the arm.

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