Meaning & use
entomology
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Meaning
noununcountablebiology
The branch of biology that studies insects, including how they live, grow, behave and are classified.
Grammar: An uncountable noun for a field of study: she studied entomology.
Patterns
- study entomology
- a professor of entomology
She studied entomology at university because she loved beetles.
Forensic entomology can help police work out when a person died by examining the insects on the body.
The museum has an entire wing devoted to entomology, with thousands of pinned specimens.
Common combinations
- forensic entomology
- Forensic entomology uses insect development to estimate time of death.
- agricultural entomology
- Agricultural entomology helps farmers protect crops from harmful pests.
- medical entomology
- Medical entomology studies insects that carry diseases such as malaria.
- professor of entomology
- The professor of entomology gave a talk about bees.
- study entomology
- Many students who study entomology end up working in conservation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- insectology
- Insectology is an old and rare word for the same subject, and most scientists now say entomology.
- zoology
- Zoology is the wider science of all animals, of which entomology is one small branch.
- bug science
- Bug science is a playful, informal phrase that you would not use in academic writing.
Word family
- entomologist noun
- a scientist who studies insects
- entomological adjective
- relating to the study of insects
- entomologically adverb
- in a way relating to entomology
- entomophagy noun
- the practice of eating insects
Commonly confused: entomology or etymology?
entomology vs etymology
Etymology is the study of word origins and history; entomology is the study of insects, and the two are often mixed up because they sound alike.
Practice
A scientist who spends her days identifying beetles and ants is working in which field?
Choose one answer.
Entomology is the study of insects, so it covers beetles and ants. Etymology is word history, which is the tempting sound-alike.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “entomology”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.