noun
octopus
AHK-tuh-pus/ˈɑːktəpʊs/
A soft-bodied sea mollusk with eight arms.
An octopus swims just above the rocks, its eight arms curling.
Etymology
The name literally means “eight-foot”: its “feet” are the animal’s eight arms. The compound identifies the creature by its most conspicuous arrangement of limbs.
In context
arms are used for fine manipulation so an octopus has eight arms they're actually also handed
More examples
- The octopus squeezes through a narrow gap in the reef.
- Many octopuses change color to blend into their surroundings.
- An octopus uses the suckers on its arms to hold a crab.
Forms
octopus · octopuses · octopi
Similar words
- cephalopod
- A broader animal group that also includes squid and cuttlefish.
- mollusk
- A much broader animal group that includes snails and clams.