INSECT

insect

(noun) small air-breathing arthropod

worm, louse, insect, dirt ball

(noun) a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

insect (plural insects)

An arthropod in the class Insecta, characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton.

(colloquial) Any small arthropod similar to an insect including spiders, centipedes, millipedes, etc

(derogatory) A contemptible or powerless person.

Synonyms

• bug (colloquial)

Anagrams

• ceints, incest, nicest, scient

Source: Wiktionary


In"sect, n. Etym: [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. (Zoƶl.)

Definition: 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. (Zoƶl.)

Definition: Any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or scorpion.

3. (Zoƶl.)

Definition: 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. Insect powder,a powder used for the extermination of insects; esp., the powdered flowers of certain species of Pyrethrum, a genus now merged in Chrysanthemum. Called also Persian powder.

In"sect, a.

1. Of or pertaining to an insect or insects.

2. Like an insect; small; mean; ephemeral.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

23 February 2025

BARGAIN

(noun) an advantageous purchase; ā€œshe got a bargain at the auctionā€; ā€œthe stock was a real buy at that priceā€


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.

coffee icon