INSECTS, INSECTA, in Natural History, a smaller sort of animals, commonly supposed to be exanguous; and distinguished by certain incisures, cuttings, or indentings in their bodies. The word is originally Latin, formed of in, and seco, "I cut;" the reason of which is, that in some of this tribe, as ants, the body seems to be cut or divided into two; or because the bodies of many, as worms, caterpillars, &c. are composed of different circles, or rings, which are a sort of incisure. See ENTOMOLOGY.