“Insects” is a form of
insect
/ˈɪn.sɛkt/ noun
Forms insects
- noun An arthropod (in the Insecta class) characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton. “Our shed has several insect infestations, including ants, yellowjackets, and wasps.”
- noun (archaic or loosely) Any small, creeping, crawling, or slithering animal, excluding mammals, birds, and fish.
- noun (specifically) An arthropod or invertebrate.
- noun (derogatory) A contemptible or powerless person. “The manager’s assistant was the worst sort of insect.”
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed 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 (“to cut into, to cut up”), from in- + secō (“to 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”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun One of the Insecta; esp., one of the Hexapoda. See Insecta.
- noun Any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or scorpion.
- adjective Of or pertaining to an insect or insects.
- adjective Like an insect; small; mean; ephemeral.
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.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “insect”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details