insect

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈɪnsɛkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧sect

Noun

Singular insect

Plural insects

Picture dictionary Picture dictionary

insect

ant ant bee bee beetle beetle butterfly butterfly dragonfly dragonfly fly fly spider spider termite termite wasp wasp

1. (countable) A type of small animal with an external skeleton and six legs.
   • Synonym: bug

   I killed a large insect in the bathroom.

   Crickets, ants, ladybugs, and flies are insects.

2. (countable) (figurative) A person who is weak or not important.
   • Synonym: weakling
   • Antonym: big dog

   The mayor thought of her as a mere insect.

Derived words

• insecticide
• insectivore

Related words

• colony
• exoskeleton
• hive