any small air-breathing arthropod of the class Insecta, having a body divided into head, thorax, and abdomen, three pairs of legs, and (in most species) two pairs of wings. Insects comprise about five sixths of all known animal species, with a total of over one million named species

(loosely) any similar invertebrate, such as a spider, tick, or centipede

a contemptible, loathsome, or insignificant person

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

any small arthropod, usually wingless, including spiders, centipedes, pill bugs, and mites

an unimportant or contemptible person