English Explanatory Dictionary

octopus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of several marine molluscs of the order Octopoda, having no internal or external protective shell or bone (unlike the nautilus, squid and cuttlefish) and eight arms each covered with suckers.
  2. A mollusc from genus Octopus.
  3. The flesh of these marine molluscs eaten as food.
  4. An organization that has many powerful branches controlled from the centre.
  5. An instance of a player scoring a touchdown immediately followed by a successful two-point conversion, resulting in a total score of eight points.
  6. A safety device allowing divers to share an air supply in an emergency.
verb
  1. To put (or attempt to put) one's fingers, hands or arms in many things or places at roughly the same time.
  2. To spread out in long arms or legs in many directions.
  3. To plug a large number of devices into a single electric outlet.
  4. To grow in use vastly beyond what was originally intended.
  5. To hunt and catch octopuses.
  6. To behave like an octopus.

Pronunciation

/ˈɒktəpʊs/ /ˈɒktəpəs/ /ˈɑktəpʊs/ /ˈɑktəpəs/ en-us-octopus.ogg

Word forms

octopus octopuses octopusses octopi octopii octopodes octopussing octopusing octopussed octopused

Etymology

From Latin octōpūs, from Ancient Greek ὀκτώπους (oktṓpous), from ὀκτώ (oktṓ, “eight”) + πούς (poús, “foot”). Piecewise doublet of octopod and octopede.

Synonyms

polypus

Related words

🐙 calamari cuttlefish Kraken nautilus squid

Derived words

blanket octopus blue-ringed octopus coconut octopus common octopus curled octopus dumbo octopus giant octopus giant Pacific octopus glass octopus gloomy octopus Kochtopus larger Pacific striped octopus mimic octopus occy octopamine octopean octopian octopic octopine octopod octopoid octopoidal Octopolis octopusal octopus bush octopus cable octopusesque octopush octopus hold octopusial octopusical octopusine octopus ink octopusish octopuslike octopus stinkhorn octopus strap octopus stretch octopussy octopusy seven-arm octopus sharktopus Turquet's octopus umbrella octopus
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