wisp

• Substance ou objet léger et fin, comme une petite étroite bande de fumée, une touffe de cheveux ou de paille, ou un petit être délicat ou faible.

A noun referring to a small, thin, or delicate piece or bundle of something, such as hair, smoke, or straw; can also refer to a small person or a flock of snipe.

1. Small tuft or lockB2formal

   A thin, delicate, or small piece or strand of something, such as hair, smoke, or grass.

   petite touffe, brin

   • A wisp of smoke rose from the chimney.
   • She tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear.
   • A few wisps of cloud drifted across the sky.

   Synonymeslockstrandtresstuft

2. Small personB2informal

   A person who is very thin or slight in build.

   Personne très mince ou frêle

   • She was just a wisp of a girl, but she had a strong will.
   • He looked like a wisp compared to his muscular brother.
   • The old man was a mere wisp, frail and quiet.

3. Small bundle of straw or hayC1formalbritish

   A small, thin bundle of straw or hay used for thatching or bedding.

   Poignée de paille ou de foin

   • The farmer gathered a wisp of straw for the animals.
   • They used wisps of hay to line the bird's nest.
   • A wisp of dried grass was all that remained of the old roof.

   Synonymesbunchbundlehandfultuft

4. C2formalbritish

   A group or flock of snipe birds.

   volée de bécassines

   • A wisp of snipe flew over the marsh.
   • The hunter spotted a wisp of snipe near the riverbank.
   • We watched a wisp of snipe take flight at dusk.

   Synonymeswalkwinnowing