Entomology (from Greek, entomos, "that which is cut in pieces or engraved/segmented", hence "insect"; and -logia) is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was more vague, and historically the definition of entomology included the study of terrestrial animals in other arthropod groups or other phyla, such as arachnids, myriapods, earthworms, land snails, and slugs.