fig wasp

noun

: a minute wasp (Blastophaga psenes of the family Agaontidae) that breeds in the caprifig and is the agent of caprification
broadly : any wasp of the same family

Examples of fig wasp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It’s a silver lining born of the relationship between fig and fig wasp. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 7 Sep. 2022 And both fig and fig wasp are utterly reliant on one another to survive—a phenomenon called mutualism. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 7 Sep. 2022 There are about 750 species of figs, each of which has a particular fig wasp as its pollinator. Liz Langley, National Geographic, 25 Sep. 2020 There are more than 800 fig species, and most have one main species of fig wasp. Chiara Goia, Smithsonian, 29 Apr. 2017 High above tropical forests, fig wasps are often the predominant form of insect life. Chiara Goia, Smithsonian, 29 Apr. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fig wasp was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near fig wasp

Cite this Entry

“Fig wasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fig%20wasp. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on fig wasp

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!