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insectoid

insectoid

3 7.1
Looks like an insect with many legs and a hard body
  • adjective
  • /ɪnˈsɛkˌtɔɪd/
translation icon : insectoide
  • They seem insectoid.
  • insectoid aliens

Examples

  • The bug-eyed creature in the movie had an insectoid appearance that made it both fascinating and terrifying.

  • Maybe it's an insectoid angel.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Does this nurse look totally insectoid to you?

  • I mean, it looked almost insectoid.

  • You may have discovered a new subspecies of flying insectoid.

  • Reluctantly, although she was not sure why, she climbed out of the vehicle and followed the insectoid.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Perhaps after a few hours away from the planet, she would be able to organize her chaotic impressions of their insectoid hosts.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The sculpture featured insectoid shapes that seemed to crawl along the surface.

  • Researchers studied an insectoid design for drones, inspired by the way insects fly.

Synonyms

insectile
vsinsectoid
1 7.5

Having the look or movement of a bug

stresses appearance or structural resemblance especially in physical parts
insectlike
vsinsectoid
4.0

Having the look or movement of an insect

focuses on visual shape and physical structure rather than movement
insectival
vsinsectoid
8.6

Relating to insects or their bodies and habits

means resembling an insect mainly in physical appearance or structure
insectan
vsinsectoid
  • Specialized
8.9

Relates to insects such as ants or bees

describes resemblance in form or structure rather than taxonomic relation

How Insect-Like

insectoid
3 7.1

Surface Forms

insectoid positive

Morphology

insectoid = insect (transparent) = insect + oid

Formed by the noun 'insect' plus the productive suffix '-oid' meaning 'resembling', so the meaning 'insect-like' is directly interpretable.

Etymology

Insectoid joins insect and the ending -oid, and insect comes from an old word meaning 'cut into' because insects look divided into parts, while -oid means 'like' as in humanoid. So insectoid means 'like an insect' in how something looks or is built.