insect en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French insecte, from Latin īnsectum, from īnsectus (“cut into, cut up, with a notched or divided body”), from perfect passive participle of īnsecō (“to cut into, to cut up”), from in- + secō (“to cut”), from the notion that the insect's body is "cut into" three sections (head, thorax, abdomen). Calque of Ancient Greek ἔντομον (éntomon, “insect”), from ἔντομος (éntomos, “cut into pieces”).
Meanings
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An arthropod (in the Insecta class) characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton.
Nonetheless, some insect prey take advantage of clutter by hiding in it. Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close (less than half a meter) above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them.
2013 May-June, William E. Conner, “An Acoustic Arms Race”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, pages 206–7:Our shed has several insect infestations, including ants, yellowjackets, and wasps.
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(archaic, broadly) Any small, creeping, crawling, or slithering animal, excluding mammals, birds, and fish.
Ambroſe Parey has a picture of the ſalamander, with a receipt for her bite; but there is no ſuch creature, the name being now given to a poor harmleſs inſect.
1756, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary Of The English Language: In Which The Words are Deduced from Their Originals, And Illustrated in Their Different Significations By Examples from the Best Writers, To Which Are Prefixed, A History of the Language, And An English Grammar : In Two Volumes, Volume 2, Knapton:
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(archaic, broadly, specifically) Any small, creeping, crawling, or slithering animal, excluding mammals, birds, and fish. ▸ An arthropod or invertebrate.
The learned zoologiſt of our country concludes his labours in this ſcience by the preſent publication, which contains only cruſtaceous inſects, viz. crabs and lobſters, worms and ſhells.
1777, The critical review, or annals of literature, Volume 44, page 158:A slimy slow creeping animal, of the genus Helix, and order of Mollusca. The eyes of this insect are in the horns, one at the end of each, which it can retract at pleasure.
1832, Noah Webster, A Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit: I. The Origin and the Affinities of Every English Word ... II. The Orthography and the Pronunciation of Words ... III. Accurate and Discriminating Definitions of Technical and Scientific Terms ... To which are Prefixed an Introductory Dissertation on the Origin, History, and Connection of the Languages of Western Asia and of Europe and a Concise Grammar, Philosophical and Practical, of the English Language, Volume 2, Black, Young, and Young, page 3:
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(derogatory) A contemptible or powerless person.
The manager’s assistant was the worst sort of insect.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| insects | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
insecticidal · insect repellent · insectophobe · Lord Howe Island stick insect · stick insect · insectology · disinsect · deinsectization · lac insect · microinsect · insectarium · insecty · angel insect · wax insect · insectageddon · insectlike · insectivore · insectual · antiinsect · insectless · insectan · coral insect · insecticide · insect wax · insectproof · insectoid · insectiferous · beneficial insect · scale insect · insect powder · insectdom · noninsect · Persian insect powder · insectiform · insectifuge · insect screen · insectkind · insected · social insect · leaf insect · insect house · fig insect · ghost insect · insectivorous · insect hotel · insectile · insectophobia · insectotoxin · turtle-insect
Descendants
Hypernyms
bug · critter · animal · arthropod · creature · arthropod · invertebrate
Hyponyms
owlfly · cranefly · locust · barklouse · caddisfly · treehopper · grub · wasp · beetle · punkie · mantis · cockroach · cricket · daddy-long-legs · damselfly · horntail · bee · antlion · silverfish · botfly · hellgrammite · whitefly · wireworm · katydid · gadfly · ichneumon fly · dragonfly · woodworm · rock crawler · blackfly · ant · louse · earwig · booklouse · flea · leafhopper · grig · grasshopper · weevil · fritillary · fishfly · dobsonfly · horsefly · pismire · dustywing · fly · toadbug · webspinner · maggot · scarab · aphid · bug · sawfly · hornet · toebiter · caterpillar · termite · butterfly · moth · mayfly · firebrat · chigger · no-see-um · emmet · chafer · lacewing · mosquito · sandfly · screwfly · yellowjacket
Relateds
worm · chafer · beetle · arthropod · :Category:Insects · bug · larva · arachnid · coleopter · entomology
Synonyms
Translations (261)
mn шавьж (arthropod of class Insecta) · nl nietsnut (contemptible or powerless person) · br amprevan (arthropod of class Insecta) · ia insecto (contemptible or powerless person) · ckt кээрэчьын (arthropod of class Insecta) · ps خزنده (arthropod of class Insecta) · kk бунақдене (arthropod of class Insecta) · ko 벌레 (contemptible or powerless person) · sh bȕba (arthropod of class Insecta) · cmn 蟲子 /虫子 (arthropod of class Insecta) · la īnsectum (arthropod of class Insecta) · tt бөҗәк (arthropod of class Insecta) · syl ꠙꠥꠇ (arthropod of class Insecta) · id serangga (arthropod of class Insecta) · mg bibikely (arthropod of class Insecta) · haw mea kolo (arthropod of class Insecta) · ml കീടം (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ia insecto (arthropod of class Insecta) · tr böcek (arthropod of class Insecta) · mic juji'ji'j (arthropod of class Insecta) · to ʻinisēkite (arthropod of class Insecta) · pt inseto (colloquial: any small arthropod) · dng чун (arthropod of class Insecta) · ota بوجك (colloquial: any small arthropod) · kn ಕೀಟ (arthropod of class Insecta) · be вуся́к (arthropod of class Insecta) · tl insekto (arthropod of class Insecta) · alt курт-коҥыс (arthropod of class Insecta) · cs hmyz (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ajp حشرة (arthropod of class Insecta) · ro nimeni (contemptible or powerless person) · cy pryf (arthropod of class Insecta) · gld колан (arthropod of class Insecta) · hu rovar (arthropod of class Insecta) · ce садолу хӏума (arthropod of class Insecta) · ka მწერი (arthropod of class Insecta) · mi papakura (colloquial: any small arthropod) · sh ѝнсект (arthropod of class Insecta) · mi haukituri (arthropod of class Insecta) · eu zomorro (arthropod of class Insecta) · mn шавьж хорхой (arthropod of class Insecta) · kk шыбын-шіркей (arthropod of class Insecta) · io insekto (arthropod of class Insecta) · vep gaved (arthropod of class Insecta) · fy ynsekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · sh бу̏ба (arthropod of class Insecta) · ota حشره (arthropod of class Insecta) · wo gunóor (arthropod of class Insecta) · ko 벌레 (colloquial: any small arthropod) · vo sök (arthropod of class Insecta) · zza xezende (arthropod of class Insecta) · nl kerfdier (arthropod of class Insecta) · nv chʼosh (arthropod of class Insecta) · ky курт-кумурска (arthropod of class Insecta) · sk hmyz (arthropod of class Insecta) · da insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · pl owad (arthropod of class Insecta) · bn পোকা (arthropod of class Insecta) · ps حشره (arthropod of class Insecta) · sh kúkac (arthropod of class Insecta) · cmn 蟲 /虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · hy միջատ (arthropod of class Insecta) · uk кома́шка (arthropod of class Insecta) · tg ҳашара (arthropod of class Insecta) · jje 버렝이 (colloquial: any small arthropod) · it insetto (arthropod of class Insecta) · sl insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · yag wankara (arthropod of class Insecta) · oc insècte (arthropod of class Insecta) · br amprevan (contemptible or powerless person) · ja 虫 (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ru насеко́мое (arthropod of class Insecta) · ja 昆虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · mic jujij (arthropod of class Insecta) · bg нищо́жество (contemptible or powerless person) · ast inseutu (arthropod of class Insecta) · hi पोका (arthropod of class Insecta) · sw mdudu (arthropod of class Insecta) · cmn 昆蟲 /昆虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · pl insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · uk кома́ха (arthropod of class Insecta) · crs bebet (arthropod of class Insecta) · rif abeɛɛuš (arthropod of class Insecta) · nl insect (arthropod of class Insecta) · be насяко́мае (arthropod of class Insecta) · cs hmyz (arthropod of class Insecta) · mic jujij (colloquial: any small arthropod) · af insek (arthropod of class Insecta) · chr ᏍᎪᏱ (arthropod of class Insecta) · lo ແມງໄມ້ (arthropod of class Insecta) · te కీటకం (arthropod of class Insecta) · mk инсект (arthropod of class Insecta) · mnw ထၟ (arthropod of class Insecta) · is skordýr (arthropod of class Insecta) · crh aşer (arthropod of class Insecta) · uk хроба́к (contemptible or powerless person) · cy pryf (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ru бука́шка (arthropod of class Insecta) · vi côn trùng (arthropod of class Insecta) · de Kerf (arthropod of class Insecta) · be казу́рка (arthropod of class Insecta) · sq insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · nn insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · zza heserat (arthropod of class Insecta) · gv beisteig (arthropod of class Insecta) · paw piiruus (arthropod of class Insecta) · pt inseto (arthropod of class Insecta) · ht ensèk (arthropod of class Insecta) · prs حَشَرَه (arthropod of class Insecta) · rsk инсект (arthropod of class Insecta) · mi mū (arthropod of class Insecta) · kw hweskeren (arthropod of class Insecta) · ro zero (contemptible or powerless person) · gd meanbh-fhrìde (colloquial: any small arthropod) · nan-hbl 蟲豸 /虫豸 (arthropod of class Insecta) · ml പ്രാണി (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ms serangga (arthropod of class Insecta) · hi कीड़ा (arthropod of class Insecta) · es bicho (colloquial: any small arthropod) · te పురుగు (arthropod of class Insecta) · kk құрт-құмырсқа (arthropod of class Insecta) · hi कीट (arthropod of class Insecta) · wuu 昆蟲 /昆虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · sq kandërr (arthropod of class Insecta) · ks کیٛۆم (arthropod of class Insecta) · pt inseto (contemptible or powerless person) · yue 昆蟲 /昆虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · or କୀଟ (arthropod of class Insecta) · tr haşere (arthropod of class Insecta) · tr haşere (colloquial: any small arthropod) · el έντομο (arthropod of class Insecta) · fi ötökkä (colloquial: any small arthropod) · he חֶרֶק (arthropod of class Insecta) · az böcək (arthropod of class Insecta) · frp ensècto (arthropod of class Insecta) · jv walang (arthropod of class Insecta) · fr insecte (arthropod of class Insecta) · sc babboi (arthropod of class Insecta) · mr किडा (arthropod of class Insecta) · yue 蟲 /虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · sc cerpiu (arthropod of class Insecta) · yo kòkòrò (colloquial: any small arthropod) · kk жәндік (arthropod of class Insecta) · gd biastag (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ti ሓሽራ (arthropod of class Insecta) · nah yolkatsin (arthropod of class Insecta) · de Kerbtier (arthropod of class Insecta) · gd frìde (arthropod of class Insecta) · ru козя́вка (colloquial: any small arthropod) · arz حشرة (arthropod of class Insecta) · ru ноль (contemptible or powerless person) · lt vabzdys (arthropod of class Insecta) · ky чымын-чиркей (arthropod of class Insecta) · ta பூச்சி (arthropod of class Insecta) · et putukas (arthropod of class Insecta) · ml പ്രാണി (arthropod of class Insecta) · ce сагалмат (arthropod of class Insecta) · ur حَشَرَہ (arthropod of class Insecta) · ccc sokajsu (arthropod of class Insecta) · rue хро́бач (arthropod of class Insecta) · scn nzettu (arthropod of class Insecta) · dng чунчур (arthropod of class Insecta) · tk möjek (arthropod of class Insecta) · nv chʼosh bijáád hastání (arthropod of class Insecta) · th แมลง (arthropod of class Insecta) · pl zero (contemptible or powerless person) · tr böcek (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ko 버러지 (contemptible or powerless person) · yo kòkòrò (arthropod of class Insecta) · ttj ekihuka class 7 (arthropod of class Insecta) · dng чунчунзы (arthropod of class Insecta) · kmr kêz (arthropod of class Insecta) · gd biastag (arthropod of class Insecta) · ro insectă (arthropod of class Insecta) · hak 昆蟲 /昆虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · ug ھاشارەت (arthropod of class Insecta) · izh sikiäin (arthropod of class Insecta) · jv angga-angga (arthropod of class Insecta) · crh böcek (arthropod of class Insecta) · sh ку́кац (arthropod of class Insecta) · eu intsektu (arthropod of class Insecta) · mt insett (arthropod of class Insecta) · sa जन्तु (arthropod of class Insecta) · sv insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · as পোক (arthropod of class Insecta) · mic juji'ji'j (colloquial: any small arthropod) · scn insettu (arthropod of class Insecta) · ru козя́вка (arthropod of class Insecta) · my အင်းဆက် (arthropod of class Insecta) · mi pēpeke (arthropod of class Insecta) · mn хорхой (arthropod of class Insecta) · grc ἔντομον (arthropod of class Insecta) · ltg kustūneits (arthropod of class Insecta) · uz hasharot (arthropod of class Insecta) · bg насеко́мо (arthropod of class Insecta) · fi hyönteinen (arthropod of class Insecta) · fi öttiäinen (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ko 곤충 (arthropod of class Insecta) · ota حشره (colloquial: any small arthropod) · fi nilviäinen (contemptible or powerless person) · xdq бижбижи́ (arthropod of class Insecta) · ru бука́шка (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ru гни́да (contemptible or powerless person) · cdo 蟲囝 /虫囝 (arthropod of class Insecta) · mn шавж (arthropod of class Insecta) · gd frìde (colloquial: any small arthropod) · atv курт-коос (arthropod of class Insecta) · pt bichinho (colloquial: any small arthropod) · cy trychfil (arthropod of class Insecta) · eo insekto (arthropod of class Insecta) · ru ничто́жество (contemptible or powerless person) · nan-hbl 昆蟲 /昆虫 (arthropod of class Insecta) · nb insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · pl robak (arthropod of class Insecta) · ml ഷഡ്പദം (arthropod of class Insecta) · ang pēo (arthropod of class Insecta) · bg инсе́кт (arthropod of class Insecta) · de Insekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · fo skordýr (arthropod of class Insecta) · ca insecte (arthropod of class Insecta) · ba бөжәк (arthropod of class Insecta) · bo འབུ (arthropod of class Insecta) · ml കീടം (contemptible or powerless person) · sl žuželka (arthropod of class Insecta) · cdo 蟲蟻 /虫蚁 (arthropod of class Insecta) · ce сагалхӏума (arthropod of class Insecta) · gl insecto (arthropod of class Insecta) · grc ἔντομον (colloquial: any small arthropod) · bo འབུ་སྲིན (arthropod of class Insecta) · paw pahuks (arthropod of class Insecta) · my ပိုး (arthropod of class Insecta) · yi אינזעקט (arthropod of class Insecta) · az həşərat (arthropod of class Insecta) · lv kukainis (arthropod of class Insecta) · cy pryfyn (arthropod of class Insecta) · az cücü (arthropod of class Insecta) · gld колан (colloquial: any small arthropod) · lv insekts (arthropod of class Insecta) · ur کِیڑا (arthropod of class Insecta) · vo näsäk (arthropod of class Insecta) · sc babbautzu (arthropod of class Insecta) · mk гнида (contemptible or powerless person) · fa-ira حَشَرِه (arthropod of class Insecta) · bho कीड़ा (arthropod of class Insecta) · mww kab (arthropod of class Insecta) · shu حشراي (arthropod of class Insecta) · sh ìnsekt (arthropod of class Insecta) · ar حَشَرَة (arthropod of class Insecta) · ba бөжәк (colloquial: any small arthropod) · ota بوجك (arthropod of class Insecta) · gd meanbh-fhrìde (arthropod of class Insecta) · lv kukainis (colloquial: any small arthropod) · be гмыз (arthropod of class Insecta) · rue хроба́к (arthropod of class Insecta) · vi sâu bọ (arthropod of class Insecta) · sc babballotti (arthropod of class Insecta) · es insecto (arthropod of class Insecta) · am ነፍሳት (arthropod of class Insecta) · hak 蟲仔 /虫仔 (arthropod of class Insecta) · km សត្វល្អិត (arthropod of class Insecta) · ga feithid (arthropod of class Insecta)