insect

noun

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

(derogatory) A contemptible or powerless person.

(archaic or loosely) Any small arthropod similar to an insect, including spiders, centipedes, millipedes, etc.

Roots

seco-sect · Latin · cut

Synonyms for insect

ephemeridn mosquiton wormn lousen aphidn arthropodn stinkbug lacewingn larvan gnatn

Synonyms & related words for insect

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of insect — including ephemerid, mosquito, worm, louse, aphid, arthropod. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to insect

Explore words related to insect — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include froghopper, spittlebug, orthopteran, lepidopteran, coleopteran, treehopper, homopterous, pyralid. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for insect

Common synonyms for insect include ephemerid, mosquito, worm, louse, aphid, arthropod, stinkbug, lacewing — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does insect come from?

The word insect breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root -sect, from Latin seco (“cut”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.