# octopus

Pronunciation: say "OK-tuh-puus" US /ˈɑktəpʊs/, UK /ˈɒktəpʊs/

## Noun

1. A soft-bodied sea animal with eight arms lined with suckers and no outer shell, related to squid and cuttlefish.
   - Simple: A soft sea animal with eight long arms covered in suckers.
   - _Divers watched an octopus unfurl its arms across the coral before darting away._
   - _An octopus uses its suckers to taste and grip whatever it touches._
2. The edible flesh of the octopus, prepared and served as seafood in many cuisines.
   - Simple: The cooked or raw meat of octopus, eaten as seafood.
   - _The chef braised the octopus for two hours to make it tender._
   - _In Mediterranean cooking, octopus is often charred over an open flame._
3. An organization whose many powerful branches all answer to and are directed from a single central authority.
   - Simple: A large group or company with many strong parts that are all run from one main place.
   - _Critics described the conglomerate as an octopus tightening its hold on national media._
   - _The cartel operated like an octopus, its tentacles reaching into politics, banking, and shipping._

## Verb

4. To connect a large number of devices to a single electrical outlet at once.
   - Simple: To plug many devices into one electric outlet at the same time.
5. To spread out in many directions like an octopus's arms, or to grow far beyond the original purpose or reach.
   - Simple: To spread out in many directions, or to grow much bigger than first planned.
6. To reach or grab in many directions at once, like an octopus.
   - Simple: To reach or grab in many directions at the same time, like an octopus.
7. To hunt and catch octopuses, especially as a form of fishing.
   - Simple: To hunt for and catch octopuses, usually in shallow sea water.

## Origin

It comes from Latin octōpūs, which came from the Ancient Greek oktṓpous, combining oktṓ ("eight") and poús ("foot").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/octopus (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).