insect

[in-sekt]

noun

1. any animal of the class Insecta, comprising small, air-breathing arthropods having the body divided into three parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), and having three pairs of legs and usually two pairs of wings.

2. any small arthropod, such as a spider, tick, or centipede, having a superficial, general similarity to the insects.

3. a contemptible or unimportant person.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, like, or used for or against insects.

   an insect bite; insect powder.

insect

/ ˈɪnsɛkt /

noun

1. any small air-breathing arthropod of the class Insecta, having a body divided into head, thorax, and abdomen, three pairs of legs, and (in most species) two pairs of wings. Insects comprise about five sixths of all known animal species, with a total of over one million named species

2. (loosely) any similar invertebrate, such as a spider, tick, or centipede

3. a contemptible, loathsome, or insignificant person

insect

1. Any of very numerous, mostly small arthropods of the class Insecta, having six segmented legs in the adult stage and a body divided into three parts (the head, thorax, and abdomen). The head has a pair of antennae and the thorax usually has one or two pairs of wings. Most insects undergo substantial change in form during development from the young to the adult stage. More than 800,000 species are known, most of them beetles. Other insects include flies, bees, ants, grasshoppers, butterflies, cockroaches, aphids, and silverfish.

2. See Notes at biomass bug entomology

Other Word Forms

• insectean adjective
• insect-like adjective
• insectival adjective
• noninsect noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of insect¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin insectum, noun use of neuter of insectus, past participle of insecāre “to incise, cut”; translation of Greek éntomon “insect,” literally, “notched or incised one”; entomo-; segment

Word History and Origins

Origin of insect¹

C17: from Latin insectum (animal that has been) cut into, insect, from insecāre, from _in- ² + secāre to cut; translation of Greek entomon insect

Example Sentences

Fed-up tenants who moved out were replaced many times over by newcomers: rats, insects and weeds.

From Los Angeles Times

But it is this strong smell, as well as the smell associated with their insect poo - frass - that makes them ideal to be found by sniffer dogs.

From BBC

They support more life than any other native tree species in the UK, hosting more than 2,300 species, including birds, mammals, insects, fungi, and lichens.

From BBC

Experts point out that prevention is key when visiting rural areas in affected regions, which includes keeping any open wounds clean and covered, and using an insect repellent.

From BBC

But this industrious insect isn't flying back to stir its witch's cauldron, or playing Quidditch.

From BBC

Related Words

• ant 
• aphid 
• bee 
• beetle 
• butterfly 
• cockroach 
• dragonfly 
• flea 
• fruit fly 
• gnat 
• grasshopper 
• ladybug 
• mite 
• mosquito 
• moth 
• pest 
• spider 
• termite 
• tick