cephalopod

[ sef-uh-luh-pod ]

noun

1. any mollusk of the class Cephalopoda, having tentacles attached to the head, including the cuttlefish, squid, and octopus.

adjective

1. Also cepha·lo·podic, ceph·a·lop·o·dous [] belonging or pertaining to the Cephalopoda.

cephalopod

/ ˈsɛfələˌpɒd /

noun

1. any marine mollusc of the class Cephalopoda , characterized by well-developed head and eyes and a ring of sucker-bearing tentacles. The group also includes the octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, and pearly nautilus

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Cephalopoda

cephalopod

/ sĕf′ə-lə-pŏd′ /

1. Any of various marine mollusks of the class Cephalopoda, having long tentacles around the mouth, a large head, a pair of large eyes, and a sharp beak. Cephalopods have the most highly developed nervous system of all invertebrates. Many cephalopods squirt a cloud of dark inky liquid to confuse predators. Cephalopods include the octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus, and the extinct ammonites, belemnites, and other nautiloids.

Derived Forms

• ˌcephaˈlopodan, adjectivenoun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cephalopod¹

1820–30; < New Latin Cephalopoda; cephalo-, -pod

Example Sentences

The other carried a bristly stick, with which they used to scratch the cephalopods’ sensitive skin.

From Los Angeles Times

A popular TikTok saga was launched with the father narrating the tale of Terrance the cephalopod, using a faux British accent generated by the social media app.

From Seattle Times

Species in the study all occupied high and similar trophic levels and consumed a mixture of cephalopods and fishes.

From Science Daily

The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness suggested that primates, dolphins, elephants, birds and cephalopods exhibited brain activity implying self-reflective awareness and abstract thinking.

From Seattle Times

Enter Turquet’s octopus, a cephalopod with a body about the length of a pencil, not including its arms.

From Science Magazine