insect

/ˈɪn.sɛkt/

noun 3

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

flying, winged | aquatic

beneficial

Bees and ladybugs are beneficial insects that help flowers grow in gardens.

harmful, poisonous

social

Bees are social insects that work together to build their hive and collect food.

QUANT

swarm

INSECT + VERB

buzz

A mosquito buzzed past my ear while I was trying to sleep last night.

fly | crawl | swarm

bore

A termite can bore through the wooden frame of a house in just a few months.

bite, sting

INSECT + NOUN

attack

The farmer discovered that insect damage had destroyed much of his vegetable crop.

bite | eggs, larva

pests

The farmer sprayed chemicals to protect his crops from damaging insect pests.

repellent, spray | species

world

Butterflies are among the most beautiful creatures in the insect world.

Definitions

noun

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

Our shed has several insect infestions, including ants, yellowjackets, and wasps.

Nonetheless, some insect prey take advantage of clutter by hiding in it. Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close (less than half a meter) above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them.

Any small arthropod similar to an insect, including spiders, centipedes, millipedes, etc.

The swamp is swarming with every sort of insect.

A contemptible or powerless person.

The manager’s assistant was the worst sort of insect.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

Our shed has several insect infestions, including ants, yellowjackets, and wasps.

Wiktionary

The swamp is swarming with every sort of insect.

Wiktionary

What do you call this insect in English?

Tatoeba · #26378

Although rainforests make up only two percent of the earth's surface, over half the world's wild plant, animal and insect species live there.

Tatoeba · #26666

The wicked witch cast an evil spell on the man and turned him into an insect.

Tatoeba · #28200

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, insect is marked as archaic, derogatory. Watch for register when choosing this word.

Your note

not saved

0 chars