Adjacent Words

Insect definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

IN'SECT, n. [L. insecta, plu.,from inseco, to cut in; in and seco, to cut. This name seems to have been originally given to certain small animals whose bodies appear cut in, or almost divided.]
1. In zoology, a small invertebral animal, breathing by lateral spiracles, and furnished with articulated extremities and movable antennae. Most insects pass through three states or metamorphoses, the larva, the chrysalis,and the perfect insect.
The class of insects, in the Linnean system, is divided into seven orders, the last of which [Aptera] includes the Crustacea, which breathe by gills, and the Arachnids, which have no antennae, now forming two distinct classes.
The term insect has been applied,but improperly, to other small invertebral animals of the Linnean class Vermes.
2. Any thing small or contemptible.
IN'SECT, a. Small; mean; contemptible.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: small air-breathing arthropod
2: a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect [syn: worm, louse, insect, dirt ball]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Latin insectum, from neuter of insectus, past participle of insecare to cut into, from in- + secare to cut — more at saw Date: 1601 1. a. any of numerous small invertebrate animals (as spiders or centipedes) that are more or less obviously segmented — not used technically b. any of a class (Insecta) of arthropods (as bugs or bees) with well-defined head, thorax, and abdomen, only three pairs of legs, and typically one or two pairs of wings 2. a trivial or contemptible person • insect adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a any arthropod of the class Insecta, having a head, thorax, abdomen, two antennae, three pairs of thoracic legs, and usu. one or two pairs of thoracic wings. b (loosely) any other small segmented invertebrate animal. 2 an insignificant or contemptible person or creature. Derivatives: insectile adj. Etymology: L insectum (animal) notched (animal) f. insecare insect- (as IN-(2), secare cut)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Insect In"sect, a. 1. Of or pertaining to an insect or insects. 2. Like an insect; small; mean; ephemeral.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Insect In"sect, n. [F. insecte, L. insectum, fr. insectus, p. p. of insecare to cut in. See Section. The name was originally given to certain small animals, whose bodies appear cut in, or almost divided. Cf. Entomology.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) One of the Insecta; esp., one of the Hexapoda. See Insecta. Note: The hexapod insects pass through three stages during their growth, viz., the larva, pupa, and imago or adult, but in some of the orders the larva differs little from the imago, except in lacking wings, and the active pupa is very much like the larva, except in having rudiments of wings. In the higher orders, the larva is usually a grub, maggot, or caterpillar, totally unlike the adult, while the pupa is very different from both larva and imago and is inactive, taking no food. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or scorpion. 3. (Zo["o]l.) Any small crustacean. In a wider sense, the word is often loosely applied to various small invertebrates. 4. Fig.: Any small, trivial, or contemptible person or thing. --Thomson.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(insects) An insect is a small animal that has six legs. Most insects have wings. Ants, flies, butterflies, and beetles are all insects. N-COUNT

Moby Thesaurus

Chilopoda, Chordata, Echiuroidea, Ectoprocta, Entoprocta, Lepisma, Monoplacophora, Nemertinea, Phoronidea, animal, ant, aphid, aphis, arachnid, arthropod, assassin bug, beast, bedbug, bee, beetle, bluebottle, borer, bug, butterfly, caddis fly, caterpillar, centipede, chafer, chigoe, chilopod, cicada, cicala, cockchafer, cockroach, crane fly, cricket, cucumber flea beetle, cur, curculio, daddy longlegs, damselfly, deer fly, diplopod, dobson fly, dog, dragonfly, drosophila, dung beetle, earwig, ephemerid, firefly, flea, fly, gadfly, glowworm, gnat, grain weevil, grasshopper, harvestman, hexapod, hornet, hound, hyena, jigger, katydid, kissing bug, lacewing, lady beetle, ladybird, ladybug, lantern fly, larva, locust, louse, maggot, mantis, mayfly, mealworm, midge, millepede, miller, millipede, mite, mole cricket, mongrel, mosquito, moth, nymph, pig, polecat, reptile, rice weevil, roach, scarab, scorpion, serpent, silverfish, skunk, snake, spider, springtail, squash bug, stag beetle, stinkbug, stone fly, swine, syrphus fly, tarantula, termite, tick, tiger moth, tsetse fly, tumblebug, varmint, vermin, viper, walkingstick, wasp, water bug, weevil, whelp, wood tick, worm, yellow jacket