Added 9 October 2026
insect
/ˈɪn.sɛkt/ noun
In Latin: īnsectum Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about insect at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Small air-breathing arthropod.
- A person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect.
Origin
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”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)