octopus

[ˈɒk.tə.pəs]

[ˈɑːk.tə.pəs]

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An octopus is an eight-legged sea creature that's really good at hiding and finding food.

You might have seen pictures or videos of octopuses playing with shells, slipping through tiny openings, or changing color to blend in with their surroundings. In everyday conversation, people often talk about octopuses as intelligent and curious creatures. If someone says "I saw an octopus at the aquarium yesterday," they're probably just telling you a fun story from their day out.

How common is "octopus"?

Word octopus is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

Any of several marine molluscs of the family Octopodidae, having no internal or external protective shell or bone (unlike the nautilus, squid and cuttlefish) and eight arms each covered with suckers.
The flesh of these marine molluscs eaten as food.
An organization that has many powerful branches controlled from the centre.

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polypus

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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Real examples of "octopus" in context

Tom Holland Calls for a Doctor While Eating Spicy Wings | Hot Ones

Interview

So Spider-Man No Way Home features the return of Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, a role that he had more than 15 years ago, which I imagine is a unique situation for an actor.

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