Standard Lemma guide

sphex

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /sfɛks/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of the sand wasps of Sphex and allied genera.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, taxonomy

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from translingual Sphex, from the Ancient Greek σφήξ (sphḗx, “wasp”), plural σφῆκες (sphêkes). The plural spheges is likely a borrowing from Latin Sphēgēs.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: sphex — Sphex-genus wasp
  • Latin: Sphēx — Sphex-genus wasp
  • Russian: сфе́кс (sféks) — Sphex-genus wasp