octopus
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Any of several marine molluscs of the order Octopoda, having no internal or external protective shell or bone and eight arms each covered with suckers.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ahktuhpuusSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈɑktəpʊs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
countableloosely
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.
uncountable
The flesh of these marine molluscs eaten as food.
countablestrictly
A mollusc from genus Octopus.
countable
An organization that has many powerful branches controlled from the centre.
verb
To put (or attempt to put) one's fingers, hands or arms in many things or places at roughly the same time.
To spread out in long arms or legs in many directions.
To plug a large number of devices into a single electric outlet.
by extension
To grow in use vastly beyond what was originally intended.
To hunt and catch octopuses.
To behave like an octopus.
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