Definitions for INSECT
ˈɪn sɛktin·sect

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. insectnoun

   small air-breathing arthropod

2. worm, louse, insect, dirt ballnoun

   a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect

WiktionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 4 votes

1. insectnoun

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

   Our shed has several insect infestions, including ants, yellowjackets, and wasps.

2. insectnoun

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

   The swamp is swarming with every sort of insect.

3. insectnoun

   A contemptible or powerless person.

   The manager's assistant was the worst sort of insect.

4. Etymology: From insectum, from perfect passive partciple of inseco, from in- + seco, from the notion that the insect's body is "cut into" three sections. Calque of Ancient Greek ἔντομον, from ἔντομος.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. INSECTnoun

   1.Insects may be considered together as one great tribe of animals: they are called insects from a separation in the middle of their bodies, whereby they are cut into two parts, which are joined together by a small ligature, as we see in wasps and common flies. John Locke

   Etymology: insecta, Latin.

   Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durst enter none. John Milton.

   2. Any thing small or contemptible.

   In ancient times the sacred plough employ'd
   The kings, and awful fathers of mankind;
   And some with whom compar'd, your insect tribes
   Are but the beings of a Summer's day,
   Have held the scale of empire. James Thomson, Spring.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Insect

   Insects (from Latin insectum) are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. Their blood is not totally contained in vessels; some circulates in an open cavity known as the haemocoel. Insects are the most diverse group of animals; they include more than a million described species and represent more than half of all known living organisms. The total number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million; potentially over 90% of the animal life forms on Earth are insects. Insects may be found in nearly all environments, although only a small number of species reside in the oceans, which are dominated by another arthropod group, crustaceans, which recent research has indicated insects are nested within. Nearly all insects hatch from eggs. Insect growth is constrained by the inelastic exoskeleton and development involves a series of molts. The immature stages often differ from the adults in structure, habit and habitat, and can include a usually immobile pupal stage in those groups that undergo four-stage metamorphosis. Insects that undergo three-stage metamorphosis lack a pupal stage and adults develop through a series of nymphal stages. The higher level relationship of the insects is unclear. Fossilized insects of enormous size have been found from the Paleozoic Era, including giant dragonflies with wingspans of 55 to 70 cm (22 to 28 in). The most diverse insect groups appear to have coevolved with flowering plants. Adult insects typically move about by walking, flying, or sometimes swimming. As it allows for rapid yet stable movement, many insects adopt a tripedal gait in which they walk with their legs touching the ground in alternating triangles, composed of the front and rear on one side with the middle on the other side. Insects are the only invertebrate group with members able to achieve sustained powered flight, and all flying insects derive from one common ancestor. Many insects spend at least part of their lives under water, with larval adaptations that include gills, and some adult insects are aquatic and have adaptations for swimming. Some species, such as water striders, are capable of walking on the surface of water. Insects are mostly solitary, but some, such as certain bees, ants and termites, are social and live in large, well-organized colonies. Some insects, such as earwigs, show maternal care, guarding their eggs and young. Insects can communicate with each other in a variety of ways. Male moths can sense the pheromones of female moths over great distances. Other species communicate with sounds: crickets stridulate, or rub their wings together, to attract a mate and repel other males. Lampyrid beetles communicate with light. Humans regard certain insects as pests, and attempt to control them using insecticides, and a host of other techniques. Some insects damage crops by feeding on sap, leaves, fruits, or wood. Some species are parasitic, and may vector diseases. Some insects perform complex ecological roles; blow-flies, for example, help consume carrion but also spread diseases. Insect pollinators are essential to the life cycle of many flowering plant species on which most organisms, including humans, are at least partly dependent; without them, the terrestrial portion of the biosphere would be devastated. Many insects are considered ecologically beneficial as predators and a few provide direct economic benefit. Silkworms produce silk and honey bees produce honey, and both have been domesticated by humans. Insects are consumed as food in 80% of the world's nations, by people in roughly 3000 ethnic groups. Human activities also have effects on insect biodiversity.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. insect

   An insect is a small invertebrate animal characterized by six legs, a three-part body consisting of head, thorax and abdomen, and usually having two pairs of wings and one or two pairs of antennae. Insects belong to the largest group within the arthropod phylum, known as Insecta, which encompasses over a million described species including ants, bees, beetles, butterflies, and flies. Insects play vital roles in ecosystems through activities such as pollination and decomposition, but can also act as pests.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Insectnoun

   one of the Insecta; esp., one of the Hexapoda. See Insecta

2. Insectnoun

   any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or scorpion

3. Insectnoun

   any small crustacean. In a wider sense, the word is often loosely applied to various small invertebrates

4. Insectnoun

   fig.: Any small, trivial, or contemptible person or thing

5. Insectadjective

   of or pertaining to an insect or insects

6. Insectadjective

   like an insect; small; mean; ephemeral

7. Etymology: [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.]

WikidataRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Insect

   Insects are a class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body, three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. They are among the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, including more than a million described species and representing more than half of all known living organisms. The number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million, and potentially represent over 90% of the differing animal life forms on Earth. Insects may be found in nearly all environments, although only a small number of species reside in the oceans, a habitat dominated by another arthropod group, crustaceans. The life cycles of insects vary, but most insects hatch from eggs. Insect growth is constrained by the inelastic exoskeleton and development involves a series of molts. The immature stages can differ from the adults in structure, habit and habitat, and can include a passive pupal stage in those groups that undergo complete metamorphosis. Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis lack a pupal stage and adults develop through a series of nymphal stages. The higher level relationship of the hexapoda is unclear. Fossilized insects of enormous size have been found from the Paleozoic Era, including giant dragonflies with wingspans of 55 to 70 cm. The most diverse insect groups appear to have coevolved with flowering plants.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Insect

   in′sekt, n. a word loosely used for a small creature, as a wasp or fly, with a body as if cut in the middle, or divided into sections: (zool.) an arthropod, usually winged in adult life, breathing air by means of tracheæ, and having frequently a metamorphosis in the life-history.—adj. like an insect: small: mean.—ns. Insectār′ium, a place where a collection of living insects is kept; Insec′ticide, act of killing insects.—adjs. Insec′tiform, Insec′tile, having the nature of an insect.—ns. Insec′tifuge, a substance which protects against insects; Insec′tion, an incision; In′sect-net, a light hand-net for catching insects; In′sect-pow′der, a dry powder used for stupefying and killing fleas and other insects, an insecticide or insectifuge. [Fr.,—L. insectum, pa.p. of insecāre—in, into, secāre, to cut.]

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. insect

   A type of living organism.

   Insects are beautiful to watch.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on February 13, 2020  

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. insect

   Song lyrics by insect -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by insect on the Lyrics.com website.

Etymology and OriginsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Insect

   From the root seco, to cut, because this tiny species of the animal world is, as it were, cut deeply into three distinct parts: the head, thorax, and abdomen.

EntomologyRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Insect

   a member of the class Insecta strictly limited.

Matched Categories

1. • Arthropod
   • Unpleasant Person

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'INSECT' in Nouns Frequency: #1765

Anagrams for INSECT »

1. incest

2. nicest

3. scient

4. encist

How to pronounce INSECT?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say INSECT in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of INSECT in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of INSECT in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of INSECT in a Sentence

1. Michael Skvarla:

   I remember it vividly, because I was walking into Walmart to get milk and I saw this huge insect on the side of the building, i thought it looked interesting, so I put it in my hand and did the rest of my shopping with it between my fingers. I got home, mounted it, and promptly forgot about it for almost a decade.

2. Mona Sarfaty:

   Children suffer more heat impacts because they spend more time outside. They are more vulnerable to the heat-related increases in air pollution that come from fossil fuel exhaust, because their lungs are still developing. Outdoor play also makes them more prey to insect vectors carrying dangerous infections, the doctors in our societies are seeing these problems today, and they will undoubtedly get worse if we don't decisively address climate change.

3. Julian Glew:

   It was an insect which appears to have upset him; he was not in a good way and on three evenings he has gone out and randomly slashed tires.

4. Andrea Bergmann:

   We have always been at the forefront when it comes to finding new trends and offering innovative products to our customers. Insects present culinary variety and an interesting composition of nutrients, such as proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, mineral and fiber, we are convinced that there are many foodies and open-minded customers in Switzerland, who will try and like insects or insect products - not only as an alternative to meat but also for culinary reasons.

5. Hee Cho:

   Insect farming requires just a fraction of the land, water, and feed in comparison to the traditional livestock farming, edible insects are superfoods.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=INSECT
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Insect
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=INSECT
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/INSECT
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=INSECT
8. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=INSECT
9. ^ Etymology and Origins
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/54657/pg54657-images.html#:~:text=INSECT
10. ^ Entomology
    https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22748/22748-h/22748-h.htm#:~:text=INSECT