Illustration of insect
- 1 labial palpus
- 2 maxillary palpus
- 3 simple eye
- 4 antenna
- 5 compound eye
- 6 prothorax
- 7 tympanum
- 8 wing
- 9 ovipositor
- 10 spiracles
- 11 abdomen
- 12 metathorax
- 13 mesothorax
1
a
: any of a class (Insecta) of arthropods (such as bugs or bees) with well-defined head, thorax, and abdomen, only three pairs of legs, and typically one or two pairs of wings
b
: any of numerous small invertebrate animals (such as spiders or centipedes) that are more or less obviously segmented
—not used technically
2
: a trivial or contemptible person
insect
adjective
Did you know?
The bodies of insects have segments, or divisions, so they appear to have a series of notches cut into them. This led the Greek philosopher Aristotle to give insects the name entomon “a thing cut into.” Entomon comes from the prefix en- “in,” combined with the verb temnein “to cut.” Later, when the Romans wanted a word for this kind of creature, they did not simply borrow the Greek word. Instead they translated it with the Latin word insectum, from the verb insecare “to cut into.” Insectum was borrowed into English as insect.
Examples of insect in a Sentence
a swarm of flying insects
the magazine's editor in chief was notorious for treating staffers as insects, often not even bothering to learn their names
Recent Examples on the Web
The first reports of periodical cicadas emerging from their long wait underground came over the weekend from Fayette County, Tennessee and Buncombe County, North Carolina, according to the citizen science site Cicada Safari, which allows Americans to track the insect's path across the nation.
—
Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Conspicuous noises from cicada swarms are a mating tactic, the wildlife federation writes, as the male insects gather in groups and create loud sounds to attract females.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
For just a few weeks from late May to early June, these tiny insects flash in unison, creating waves of light that ripple across the forest floor.
—Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 28 Apr. 2025
When selecting a tree for your landscape, do consider factors like its ultimate height and spread, susceptibility to insect and disease problems, flowering, fruiting and fall foliage potential, rate of growth and site requirements.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insect
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Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Conspicuous noises from cicada swarms are a mating tactic, the wildlife federation writes, as the male insects gather in groups and create loud sounds to attract females.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
For just a few weeks from late May to early June, these tiny insects flash in unison, creating waves of light that ripple across the forest floor.
—Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 28 Apr. 2025
When selecting a tree for your landscape, do consider factors like its ultimate height and spread, susceptibility to insect and disease problems, flowering, fruiting and fall foliage potential, rate of growth and site requirements.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insect
Cite this Entry
“Insect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insect. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
insect
noun
in·sect
ˈin-ˌsekt 
1
: any of numerous small invertebrate animals (as spiders or centipedes) that are more or less obviously made up of segments
—not used technically
2
: any of a class of arthropods (as butterflies, true bugs, two-winged flies, bees, and grasshoppers) with the body clearly divided into a head, thorax, and abdomen, with three pairs of jointed legs, and usually with one or two pairs of wings
Etymology
from Latin insectum "insect," derived from insecare "to cut into," from in- "in" and secare "to cut" — related to dissect, section
Word Origin
The bodies of insects have segments, or divisions. Thus they seem to have a series of notches cut into them. This appearance led the Greek philosopher Aristotle to give insects the name entomon "a thing cut into." Entomon comes from the prefix en- "in," combined with the verb temnein "to cut." Later, when the Romans wanted a word for this kind of creature, they did not simply borrow the Greek word. Instead they translated it into the Latin word insectum, from the verb insecare "to cut into." Insectum was borrowed into English as insect.
Medical Definition
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