insect

noun
UK: /ˈɪnsekt/
US: /ˈɪnsekt/

  1. A small animal with six legs, a body divided into three parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), and usually wings.

    1. I saw a big insect on the leaf.
    2. Scientists are studying how insects adapt to climate change, like the hardy insect.

  2. A contemptible or insignificant person.

    1. He treated me like an insect, ignoring my ideas.
    2. The bully considered anyone weaker than him to be a mere insect deserving his abuse.

Synonyms

bug creature pest vermin
insect transitive-verb

  1. To spray with insecticide to kill or repel insects.

    1. I need to insect the plants in my garden.
    2. Farmers insect their crops to protect them from damage, making insect rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "insect" in English means: A small animal with six legs, a body divided into three parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), and usually wings., A contemptible or insignificant person..

The phonetic transcription of "insect" is /ˈɪnsekt/ in British English and /ˈɪnsekt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "insect": bug, creature, pest, vermin.

Example usage of "insect": "I saw a big insect on the leaf.". More examples on the page.