Insect \In"sect\ ([i^]n"s[e^]kt), n. [F. insecte, L. insectum,
   fr. insectus, p. p. of insecare to cut in. See Section. The
   name was originally given to certain small animals, whose
   bodies appear cut in, or almost divided. Cf. Entomology.]
   1. (Zool.) One of the Insecta; esp., one of the Hexapoda. See
      Insecta.
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   Note: The hexapod insects pass through three stages during
         their growth, viz., the larva, pupa, and imago or
         adult, but in some of the orders the larva differs
         little from the imago, except in lacking wings, and the
         active pupa is very much like the larva, except in
         having rudiments of wings. In the higher orders, the
         larva is usually a grub, maggot, or caterpillar,
         totally unlike the adult, while the pupa is very
         different from both larva and imago and is inactive,
         taking no food.
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   2. (Zool.) Any air-breathing arthropod, as a spider or
      scorpion.
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   3. (Zool.) Any small crustacean. In a wider sense, the word
      is often loosely applied to various small invertebrates.
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   4. Fig.: Any small, trivial, or contemptible person or thing.
      --Thomson.
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   Insect powder,a powder used for the extermination of
      insects; esp., the powdered flowers of certain species of
      Pyrethrum, a genus now merged in Chrysanthemum. Called
      also Persian powder.
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Persian \Per"sian\, a. [From Persia: cf. It. Persiano. Cf.
   Parsee, Peach, Persic.]
   Of or pertaining to Persia, to the Persians, or to their
   language.
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   Persian berry, the fruit of Rhamnus infectorius, a kind
      of buckthorn, used for dyeing yellow, and imported chiefly
      from Trebizond.

   Persian cat. (Zool.) Same as Angora cat, under Angora.
      

   Persian columns (Arch.), columns of which the shaft
      represents a Persian slave; -- called also Persians. See
      Atlantes.

   Persian drill (Mech.), a drill which is turned by pushing a
      nut back and forth along a spirally grooved drill holder.
      

   Persian fire (Med.), malignant pustule.

   Persian powder. See Insect powder, under Insect.

   Persian red. See Indian red
   (a), under Indian.

   Persian wheel, a noria; a tympanum. See Noria.
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