*insecta*

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Insect. ] 1. (Zool.) One of the classes of Arthropoda, including those that have one pair of antennæ, three pairs of mouth organs, and breathe air by means of tracheæ, opening by spiracles along the sides of the body. In this sense it includes the Hexapoda, or six-legged insects and the Myriapoda, with numerous legs. See Insect, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) In a more restricted sense, the Hexapoda alone. See Hexapoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) In the most general sense, the Hexapoda, Myriapoda, and Arachnoidea, combined. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The typical Insecta, or hexapod insects, are divided into several orders, viz.: Hymenoptera, as the bees and ants; Diptera, as the common flies, gnats, and mosquitos; Aphaniptera, or fleas; Lepidoptera, or moths and butterflies; Neuroptera, as the ant-lions and hellgamite; Coleoptera, or beetles; Hemiptera, as bugs, lice, aphids; Orthoptera, as grasshoppers and cockroaches; Pseudoneuroptera, as the dragon flies and termites; Euplexoptera, or earwigs; Thysanura, as the springtails, podura, and lepisma. See these words in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]