n. [ F. insecte, L. insectum, fr. insectus, p. p. of insecare to cut in. See Section. The name was originally given to certain small animals, whose bodies appear cut in, or almost divided. Cf. Entomology. ] 1. (Zool.) One of the Insecta; esp., one of the Hexapoda. See Insecta. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The hexapod insects pass through three stages during their growth, viz., the larva, pupa, and imago or adult, but in some of the orders the larva differs little from the imago, except in lacking wings, and the active pupa is very much like the larva, except in having rudiments of wings. In the higher orders, the larva is usually a grub, maggot, or caterpillar, totally unlike the adult, while the pupa is very different from both larva and imago and is inactive, taking no food. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or scorpion. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Any small crustacean. In a wider sense, the word is often loosely applied to various small invertebrates. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Fig.: Any small, trivial, or contemptible person or thing. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Insect powder, a powder used for the extermination of insects; esp., the powdered flowers of certain species of Pyrethrum, a genus now merged in Chrysanthemum. Called also Persian powder. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to an insect or insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Like an insect; small; mean; ephemeral. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Insect. ] 1. (Zool.) One of the classes of Arthropoda, including those that have one pair of antennæ, three pairs of mouth organs, and breathe air by means of tracheæ, opening by spiracles along the sides of the body. In this sense it includes the Hexapoda, or six-legged insects and the Myriapoda, with numerous legs. See Insect, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) In a more restricted sense, the Hexapoda alone. See Hexapoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) In the most general sense, the Hexapoda, Myriapoda, and Arachnoidea, combined. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The typical Insecta, or hexapod insects, are divided into several orders, viz.: Hymenoptera, as the bees and ants; Diptera, as the common flies, gnats, and mosquitos; Aphaniptera, or fleas; Lepidoptera, or moths and butterflies; Neuroptera, as the ant-lions and hellgamite; Coleoptera, or beetles; Hemiptera, as bugs, lice, aphids; Orthoptera, as grasshoppers and cockroaches; Pseudoneuroptera, as the dragon flies and termites; Euplexoptera, or earwigs; Thysanura, as the springtails, podura, and lepisma. See these words in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A place for keeping living insects. -- In`sec*ta"ri*um n. [L.] [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. insectatio. See Insectator. ] The act of pursuing; pursuit; harassment; persecution. [ Obs. ] Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. insectari to pursue, freq. fr. insequi. See Ensue. ] A pursuer; a persecutor; a censorious critic. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, having the nature of, or resembling, an insect. Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Insect + L. caedere to kill. ] An agent or preparation for destroying insects; an insect powder or spray. -- In*sec"ti*ci`dal a. [1913 Webster]

a. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, insects. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Insect. ] A cutting in; incisure; incision. [ 1913 Webster ]