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

Officials urge travelers to keep open wounds clean and covered, avoid insect bites, and wear hats, loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and pants, socks, and insect repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as effective.

From Los Angeles Times

He said this was one of many species of winged insect that had colonised southern England because of warming temperatures.

From BBC

Jaynes said Gaon is a private man who obtained a biology degree in college and allows the vegetation in his front yard to overgrow so he can observe butterflies and other insects.

From Los Angeles Times

County’s jails, describing filthy conditions, vermin and insect infestations, a lack of clean water and moldy and spoiled food.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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