insect

Meaning

1. An arthropod (in the Insecta class) characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton.
2. (archaic, broadly) Any small arthropod similar to an insect, including spiders, centipedes, millipedes, etc.
3. (derogatory) A contemptible or powerless person.

Synonyms

bug

🐛

worm

🪱

cockroach

🪳

animal

🐾

cricket

🦗

tick

louse

maggot

fly

✈️

beetle

🪲

moth

grasshopper

creepy-crawly

pest

wasp

leech

vermin

bird

🐦

dirt ball

ant

🐜

parasite

reptile

roach

spider

🕷️

stick insect

wild animal

small animal

wood borer

fish

🐟

2

living creature

young of an animal

creeping thing

small pathetic animal

gogga

riceworm

animalcule

arachnid

arthropod

beast

bee

🐝

bore

butterfly

🦋

caterpillar

🐛

dragonfly

flea

foam

hopper

insects

ladybug

Translations

insecte

insecto

Insekt

insetto

insect

inseto

έντομο

böcek

🐛

insecte

insekt

insecto

haşere

حشرة

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɪnsɛkt/

Etymology

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 (“I cut into, I cut up”), from in- + secō (“I 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”).