octopus

[ ok-tuh-puh s ]
/ ˈɒk tə pəs /

noun, plural oc·to·pus·es, oc·to·pi [ok-tuh-pahy] /ˈɒk təˌpaɪ/.

any octopod of the genus Octopus, having a soft, oval body and eight sucker-bearing arms, living mostly at the bottom of the sea.
something likened to an octopus, as an organization with many forms of far-reaching influence or control.

Origin of octopus

1750–60; < New Latin < Greek oktṓpous (plural oktṓpodes) eight-footed; see octo-, -pod

Example sentences from the Web for octopus

British Dictionary definitions for octopus

octopus
/ (ˈɒktəpəs) /

noun plural -puses

any cephalopod mollusc of the genera Octopus, Eledone, etc, having a soft oval body with eight long suckered tentacles and occurring at the sea bottom: order Octopoda (octopods)
a powerful influential organization with far-reaching effects, esp harmful ones
another name for spider (def. 8)

Word Origin for octopus

C18: via New Latin from Greek oktōpous having eight feet