The Insect Arthropod Divide: What's in a Name? The terms "insects" and "arthropods" are often used interchangeably, but this conflation obscures a complex relationship between two distinct groups of creatures.
To understand why these terms have become synonymous with different groups of creatures, we need to examine their etymological roots.
"Insect," derived from the Latin "insectum," meaning "cut into pieces" or "winged creature," originally referred specifically to insects as we know them today: six legged, segmented creatures with exoskeletons and often wings.