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squid

1 American  
[skwid] / skwɪd /

noun

plural

squid,

plural

squids

  1. any of several ten-armed cephalopods, as of the genera Loligo and Ommastrephes, having a slender body and a pair of rounded or triangular caudal fins and varying in length from 4–6 inches (10–15 centimeters) to 60–80 feet (18–24 meters).

SQUID 2 American  
[skwid] / skwɪd /

noun

  1. superconducting quantum interference device: a device that senses minute changes in magnetic fields, used to indicate neural activity in the brain.

squid 1 British  
/ skwɪd /

noun

  1. any of various fast-moving pelagic cephalopod molluscs of the genera Loligo, Ommastrephes , etc, of most seas, having a torpedo-shaped body ranging from about 10 centimetres to 16.5 metres long and a pair of triangular tail fins: order Decapoda (decapods) See also cuttlefish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (intr) (of a parachute) to assume an elongated squidlike shape owing to excess air pressure

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
SQUID 2 British  

abbreviation

  1. superconducting quantum interference device

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
squid 3 British  
/ skwɪd /

noun

  1. slang a pound sterling

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of squid1

First recorded in 1605–15; origin uncertain

Origin of SQUID2

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"In the past, the structure of the ram's horn squid shell made some scientists wrongly conclude it was closely related to cuttlefishes.," says Fernández-Álvarez.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

That means there is less food available for marine species like squid and salmon, in turn reducing stocks for South American fishing communities.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

If you play with squid, be ready for the ink.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

According to Robison, fish, crustaceans, squid and other warm-water species are moving into what used to be considered cooler waters.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.