| belonging or pertaining to the Apterygota, a subclass of primitive wingless insects that undergo little or no metamorphosis. |

apterygote
broadly, any of the primitive wingless insects of the subclass Apterygota (class Insecta), distinct from the subclass Pterygota, or winged insects. Used in this sense, the term apterygotes commonly includes four groups of primitive insects: proturans, collembolans, diplurans, and thysanurans. The taxonomic status of these groups, however, remains unsettled.
Learn more about apterygote with a free trial on Britannica.com.