'beetle' (insect) originates from Old English, specifically the word 'bitela', where 'bit-' (from 'bītan') meant 'to bite'.

'beetle' changed from the Old English word 'bitela' to Middle English forms such as 'betele' or 'beetle' and eventually became the modern English word 'beetle'.

Initially, it meant 'little biter' (a small insect that bites); over time it became the general name for members of the order Coleoptera.