starfish

noun

star·​fish ˈstär-ˌfish 

: any of a class (Asteroidea) of echinoderms that have a body of usually five arms radially arranged about a central disk and feed largely on mollusks (such as oysters)

called also sea star

Examples of starfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, throughout the world, orcas of every age have presented prey to humans, and just about everything was on the menu: from sea otters, harbor seals, and gray whales, to green turtles, eagle rays, starfish, jellyfish, and even common murres, just to name a few species. —Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025

Snorkelers and divers in Palm Beach County were recently stunned by a disturbing sight: starfish, also known as sea stars, with missing limbs, open wounds and bodies disintegrating on the ocean floor. —Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025

Regeneration is a trick many animals, including lizards, starfish, and octopuses, have mastered. —Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025

If you’re all flowered out, try ocean motifs instead—think seashells, starfish, or your favorite aquatic animal. —Catie Pusateri, Glamour, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for starfish

• bluefish
• catfish
• codfish
• crawfish
• dogfish
• finfish
• flatfish
• goldfish
• groundfish
• kingfish
• offish
• redfish

Kids Definition

starfish

noun

star·​fish ˈstär-ˌfish 

: any of a class of echinoderms that have five arms arranged evenly around a central disk and feed largely on mollusks (as oysters)