insect

IPA/ˈɪnsekt/
KK[ˈɪnsˌɛkt]IPA/ˈɪnsekt/

insect — noun

  • insectsingular
  • insectsplural

1. a tiny creature whose body naturally separates into three sections and that alwa

1.nounA2
Definition

a tiny creature whose body naturally separates into three sections and that always has exactly six legs — flies, bees, ants, and butterflies all belong to this group.

Example

Noor found a strange insect with shiny green wings on her balcony this morning.

This insect can fly over fifty kilometres in a single day to find food.

collocation: insect + fly / insect + find food

Common collocations
  • insect species
  • insect bite
  • insect repellent
  • insect population
  • flying insect
  • beneficial insect
  • swarm of insects
  • stinging insect
Synonyms
  • bug

    informal term used for any small creature in everyday speech, but scientifically only refers to a subset (Hemiptera)

  • creepy-crawly

    very informal, British English; suggests fear or disgust

Usage Note

In everyday speech, people often call any small crawling or flying creature an insect, but strictly speaking spiders, centipedes, and worms are not insects.

Common Mistakes

I found an insect in my bed' (when you mean a spider).
I found a spider in my bed.
spiders have eight legs and two body sections, so they are arachnids, not insects.

2. an insulting way to describe someone you think is weak, dishonest, or worthless

2.nounC1
Definition

an insulting way to describe someone you think is weak, dishonest, or worthless — a person who deserves no respect.

Example

The old man called the thief a disgusting insect as the police led him away.

collocation: disgusting insect (as an insult)

Constanza felt like a helpless insect trapped under her manager's angry gaze.

Common collocations
  • disgusting insect
  • helpless insect
  • worthless insect
  • pathetic insect
Synonyms
  • worm

    similar figurative insult suggesting weakness and low status

  • louse

    another insect-based insult, suggesting a mean or unpleasant person

Usage Note

This figurative use is quite strong and somewhat old-fashioned. It appears more often in literature and film dialogue than in everyday conversation.

Common Mistakes

He's such an insect, he took my parking spot.
He's such a jerk, he took my parking spot.
'insect' as an insult sounds dramatic and dated; 'jerk' or 'creep' is more natural in modern English.

Word family

  • insecticide
    nounB2
  • insectivorous
    adjectiveC1
  • insectivore
    nounC1
  • insectoid
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words can describe small animals but differ in scope and tone. 'Insect' is the precise scientific term for six-legged arthropods such as ants, bees, and flies — it is the safest word for formal or neutral contexts. 'Bug' is the common informal alternative; in everyday speech people use it for any small creepy creature, but technically it refers only to a subgroup (Hemiptera) such as aphids and shield bugs. 'Creature' is far broader — it covers any living being, from an insect to an elephant to a mythical dragon. 'Pest' is a functional label, not a biological category: it means any animal (insect, rodent, or bird) that causes trouble or damage to crops, food, or homes. For example: 'I found an insect with long antennae in the garden' (neutral, precise); 'There's a bug on your shirt' (everyday informal); 'Rabbits can be a real pest in the vegetable patch' (nuisance, not necessarily an insect).

bug ↗creature ↗pest ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • insect species
  • insect bite
  • insect repellent
  • insect population
  • insect larvae
  • insect wing

Phrases

  • swarm of insects
  • cloud of insects
  • insect control
  • insect infestation

Prepositions

  • of insects

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'insect' comes from Latin 'insectum', meaning 'cut into pieces' or 'notched' — a reference to the segmented (divided into sections) body of these creatures. Latin 'insectum' was itself a translation of the Greek 'éntomon' (ἔντομον), which also means 'notched' and is the source of the scientific class name Insecta. English borrowed the word through French 'insecte' in the early 1600s.