insect

American  

[in-sekt] / ˈɪn sɛkt /

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.

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adjective

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

   an insect bite; insect powder.

insect British  

/ 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

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insect Scientific  

/ ĭn′sĕkt′ /

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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of insect

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

Explanation

An insect is commonly called a bug. Flies, bees, and wasps are all insects. Insects are the tiny marvels of the natural world. From industrious ants to dazzling butterflies, these miniature critters come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, each with its own special role in ecosystems worldwide. With over a million species identified and countless more waiting to be discovered, insects continue to fascinate scientists and inspire curiosity in nature lovers everywhere. Insect comes from the Latin phrase animal insectum, which means "animal with a cut up (segmented) body."

Example Sentences

“They’re not medically significant,” said Pat Wooden, the insect identification lab manager at Virginia Tech.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Instead, each insect responds independently to environmental cues, yet they end up clustering in the same place at the same time.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

Also, those with insect phobias should consider this when planning a visit.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Ford had also visited her GP in March and April when she felt unwell, and complained about insect bites.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

He waved his hand, like he was shooing away an annoying insect.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

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