Meaning & use
insect
Last updated
UK/ˈɪnsekt/
US/ˈɪnsekt/
Meaning
nouncountable
A small animal with six legs and a body in three parts, often with wings, such as an ant, bee, or beetle.
Grammar: Countable: use 'an insect' for one, 'insects' for many.
Patterns
- an insect bites/stings someone
- a species of insect
- insects feed on something
A fly is an insect, but a spider is not.
The garden is full of insects in summer.
She studies how insects communicate with each other.
Word forms
| plural | insects |
|---|
Common combinations
- insect bite
- He had red insect bites on his arms.
- insect repellent
- Spray insect repellent before you go camping.
- insect species
- Scientists have identified thousands of insect species.
- flying insect
- A flying insect buzzed around the lamp.
- insect population
- Insect populations have declined in many regions.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- insecticide noun
- A chemical used to kill insects.
- insectivorous adjective
- Feeding mainly on insects.
Commonly confused: insect or spider?
insect vs spider
Spiders have eight legs and two body parts, so they are not insects; people often call them bugs anyway.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'insect' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Insects are defined by six legs and three body sections. Option 1 is wrong because spiders have eight legs and are not insects.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “insect”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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