From Anonymous
“Insect” derives from the descriptive Latin term for an animal characterised
by transverse constrictions, literally cuts, between head, thorax and abdomen.
“Entomos” is exactly the same in Greek but it has never been used as a
substantive.
However, the derivative “entomological” is a perfect adjective for the
substantive “insect”; it carries exactly the same meaning and, moreover, it is
already in common usage and does not convey the aftertaste of “similar to” as
insectoid does.
Allschwil, Switzerland
