noun

1. any of a large class (Insecta) of small arthropod animals characterized, in the adult state, by division of the body into head, thorax, and abdomen, three pairs of legs on the thorax, and, usually, two pairs of membranous wings, including beetles, bees, flies, wasps, and mosquitoes
2. popularly any small arthropod, usually wingless, including spiders, centipedes, pill bugs, and mites
3. an unimportant or contemptible person

Etymology: < L insectum (animale), lit., notched (animal), neut. of pp. of insecare, to cut into < in-, in + secare, to cut (see saw): from the segmented bodies: cf. entomo-