octopus

noun

oc·​to·​pus ˈäk-tə-pəs 

-ˌpu̇s

plural octopuses or octopi ˈäk-tə-ˌpī 

1

plural also octopodes äk-​ˈtä-​pə-​ˌdēz 

-​ˈtō-

: any of a genus (Octopus) of cephalopod mollusks that have eight muscular arms equipped with two rows of suckers

broadly : any octopod excepting the paper nautilus

2

: something that resembles an octopus especially in having many centrally directed branches

an octopus of a corporation which lends, buys, produces, and sells

—Atlantic

Illustration of octopus

• octopus 1

Examples of octopus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This provides each arm with a degree of autonomy, allowing an octopus to use some arms to perform one task while also carrying out another, entirely different activity with other arms. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2025

My Octopus Teacher Year: 2020 Run Time: 85 minutes Directors: Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed An Oscar-winning documentary that poses the immortal question: Does this man want to … sleep with an octopus? —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025

The team ultimately helped persuade the government to recognize sentience in cephalopod mollusks, such as octopuses and squid, and decapod crustaceans, which include crabs and lobsters. —Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025

Other killer whales feed on fish, octopus and marine mammals, but the diet of Southern Resident whales is almost entirely salmon. —Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Octopod-, Octopus, from Greek oktōpous

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

octopus

noun

oc·​to·​pus ˈäk-tə-pəs 

plural octopuses or octopi -ˌpī 

1

: any of various sea mollusks that are cephalopods having eight muscular arms with two rows of suckers which hold objects (as its prey)

2

: something suggestive of an octopus

especially : a powerful grasping organization with many branches

Etymology

from scientific Latin Octopod-, Octopus "octopus," from Greek oktōpous, literally, "eight-footed," from oktō "eight" and pous "foot"