cephalopod

noun

ceph·​a·​lo·​pod ˈse-fə-lə-ˌpäd 

: any of a class (Cephalopoda) of marine mollusks including the squids, cuttlefishes, and octopuses that move by expelling water from a tubular siphon under the head and that have a group of muscular usually sucker-bearing arms around the front of the head, highly developed eyes, and usually a sac containing ink which is ejected for defense or concealment

cephalopod adjective

Examples of cephalopod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

My Octopus Teacher — a documentary about the smarts of cephalopods — inspired a team of engineers to create materials that can grab and release objects with rough and irregular surfaces. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024

This is standard hunting behavior for the big blue octopus, but when pursuing prey alongside fish, the cephalopod performs this wrapping action fewer times, the team found, presumably saving energy. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2024

Jeremy Little/Michigan Engineering View 3 Images View gallery - 3 images Inspired by the color-changing skin of squids and other cephalopods, researchers have developed a flexible screen capable of storing and displaying encrypted images without using electronics – just tiny magnetic particles. —New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2024

The cephalopod achieves this feat through a network of pigment cells called chromatophores just below the surface of its skin. —Samuel Sanders, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from cephal- + Greek pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cephalopod

noun

ceph·​a·​lo·​pod ˈsef-ə-lə-ˌpäd 

: any of a class of mollusks that include the squids, cuttlefishes, and octopuses and have a group of muscular sucker-bearing arms, highly developed eyes, and usually a bag of inky fluid which can be released for defense