Insect

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɪn.sɛkt/

Definitions

1. A small invertebrate belonging to the class of arthropods, which typically features a segmented body, jointed appendages, and an exoskeleton, primarily characterized by having three major body sections
2. A member of the diverse group of organisms classified under the phylum Arthropoda, known for their chitinous exoskeletons, segmented bodies, and often transformation stages such as larvae, pupae, and adults
3. A diverse group of small arthropods with an exoskeleton, segmented bodies, jointed limbs, and usually undergoing metamorphosis stages such as egg, larva, pupa, and adult

Etymology: The name rests on a physical observation: an insect's body looks as though it has been cut into three sections, head, thorax and abdomen. The Latin "insectum" came from "insectus," meaning "cut into" or "notched," the past participle of "insecare," which combines "in-" with "secare," "to cut." Greek speakers had already made the same leap. Their word "entomon," meaning "insect," was built from "entomos," "cut into pieces," and Latin translated that image directly, producing a calque rather than a fresh coinage. The English word was borrowed from Middle French "insecte," which carried the Latin form into the language. The image behind it is a neat piece of anatomy turned into a name: a creature defined by its segmented body, not by its size or its six legs. Those legs, by the way, are the detail the modern definition emphasises, yet the ancient name never mentions them at all.

Synonyms: bug, creature, arthropod, pest, fly