in ‧ sect W3 /ˈɪnsekt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: insectum , from insecare 'to cut into' ; because insects have a body in separate parts ]
a small creature such as a fly or ↑ ant , that has six legs, and sometimes wings:
an insect bite
flying insects
Don’t forget to bring insect repellent (=a chemical to keep insects away) .
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ small
The bird’s natural diet mainly consists of small insects.
▪ tiny (=very small)
The air was filled with thousands of tiny insects.
▪ a flying insect
Toads mainly eat small dark flying insects.
▪ a winged insect literary:
Swallows swooped to snatch winged insects from the sky.
■ verbs
▪ an insect flies
Insects were flying around the food on the counter.
▪ an insect crawls (=moves along the ground )
A tiny insect was crawling up his arm.
▪ an insect buzzes (=makes a continuous sound)
Insects were buzzing around our heads as we walked through the forest.
■ insect + NOUN
▪ an insect bite
He was worried about a large red insect bite on his back.
▪ an insect sting (=a hole in your skin made by an insect)
This cream is good for treating insect stings.
▪ insect repellent (=a chemical to keep insects away)
If you go camping, you should take some insect repellent.
▪ an insect species
Large numbers of insect species are becoming extinct.
▪ insect eggs
The leaves were covered in insect eggs.
▪ insect larvae (=young insects with soft bodies and no wings)
Fish love food such as worms and insect larvae.
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THESAURUS
▪ insect a small creature such as a fly or ant, that has six legs, and sometimes wings:
Head lice are tiny insects that live in the hair.
▪ bug a small insect:
What are those little bugs in my roses?
▪ creepy-crawly informal an insect, especially one that you are frightened of:
The mattress was covered in creepy-crawlies.
▪ aphid technical a small insect that lives on the juice of plants and destroys them:
The leaves have been attacked by aphids.