insect

The story

1. Ancient Greek · calque ofἔντομον“insect”
2. Latin · derived fromīnsectum
3. Middle French · borrowed frominsecte
4. English todayinsect

Borrowed from Middle French insecte, from Latin īnsectum, from īnsectus (“cut into, cut up, with a notched or divided body”), from perfect passive participle of īnsecō (“to cut into, to cut up”), from in- + secō (“to cut”), from the notion that the insect's body is "cut into" three sections (head, thorax, abdomen). Calque of Ancient Greek ἔντομον (éntomon, “insect”), from ἔντομος (éntomos, “cut into pieces”).

Words from the same roots