wisp
UK: wɪsp | US: wɪsp
n. a thin, delicate strand or fragment (e.g., of hair, smoke, or straw)
n. a small bundle or bunch (e.g., of grass or twigs)
n. a faint or fleeting trace (e.g., of an idea or memory)
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The word "wisp" originates from Middle English wisp, likely of Scandinavian influence (compare Old Norse visk "bundle of straw"). It retains its core meaning of something slender, fragile, or loosely gathered. The word’s simplicity reflects its ancient roots, evolving without significant morphological changes. Its imagery—whether describing smoke, hair, or vague traces—consistently conveys lightness and transience.
A wisp of smoke curled from the chimney.
She brushed away a wisp of hair from her face.
The old man carried a wisp of hay to feed the horse.
Only a wisp of memory remained from that day.
The wind scattered the wisps of cloud across the sky.