What does wisp mean?
A wisp is a small, slender strand or tuft, most often used for a few strands of hair, a thread of smoke or steam, or a faint, curling streak of light. Because these things are easily displaced and quickly vanish, “wisp” also works figuratively for a slight trace, hint, or remnant: a wisp of smoke, a wisp of doubt, a wisp of hope. The noun is familiar in British and American English, though it often sounds more literary or poetic than “strand” or “trace” and lends an image of delicacy, transparency, and briefness. In older and literary contexts, the verb “to wisp” means to wind or twist something into small wisps. The word is especially memorable through “will-o'-the-wisp,” the deceptive light of folklore, which captures both the attractiveness of a wisp and its capacity to mislead or disappear. Overall, “wisp” is useful when precision needs to be joined with atmosphere: it identifies something minute while suggesting motion, softness, and impermanence.
A small, thin strand or tuft, especially of hair; a faint, curling trace of smoke, steam, or light; or, figuratively, a slight hint or trace.
"She brushed a wisp of hair from her forehead."
Often literary or poetic, with connotations of delicacy, movement, and brevity.
To wind or twist something into small wisps.
"The smoke wispped upward in the still air."
Rare and chiefly literary or archaic.
The regular plural is used for individual strands or traces, as in “wisps of smoke.”
"Wisps of mist drifted across the road."
The old “will-o'-the-wisp” was a deceptive light said to lure travelers off their path—light enough to vanish, just like the word's wispy imagery.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wisp come from?
The noun descends from Old English “wisp,” used for a filament, thread, or slender strand, and continued in Middle English. Over time, the word was extended to small quantities of smoke and other immaterial substances, as well as to figurative traces and hints. It is Germanic in origin and has relatives in Dutch and German, although the precise development of its individual senses is less certain than its basic Old English lineage.
Related word forms
How wisp is actually used
The noun is familiar in British and American English but often has a literary or poetic quality. It conveys delicacy, transparency, movement, and impermanence; the verb is rare and chiefly encountered in older writing.
Easily confused with wisp
A wisp is a tiny strand or trace, whereas a whip is a flexible rod or cord used for striking or guiding.