# octopus

/ˈɑktəˌpʊs/ (US) · /ˈɒktəpəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/octopus
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. sea animal

noun · CEFR A2

a sea creature with a soft body and eight long arms covered in suckers.

For teachers: a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda, possessing a soft body and eight arms equipped with suction cups.

- The octopus hid among the rocks and changed its color to match the sand.
- Marine biologists observed the octopus using its arms to manipulate tools, demonstrating a level of intelligence rare among invertebrates.

### 2. food

noun · CEFR B1

the meat of an octopus used as food.

For teachers: the flesh of the octopus consumed as seafood. Uncountable when referring to the meat as a substance.

- We ordered grilled octopus with lemon and olive oil for our starter.
- The chef prepared the octopus by slow-braising it in red wine before finishing it on a high-heat charcoal grill.

### 3. powerful organization

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a large organization that has many powerful branches controlled from one center.

For teachers: a large, powerful organization with many interconnected branches or interests, typically exerting influence from a central point.

- The multinational corporation was described as an octopus with its reach in every industry.
- Critics viewed the state-owned energy firm as a bureaucratic octopus, stifling competition through its vast network of regional subsidiaries.

### 4. diving equipment

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a backup breathing tube used by divers in case of an emergency.

For teachers: a secondary demand valve or regulator used in scuba diving, typically colored yellow for high visibility in emergency air-sharing situations.

- Every diver must check that their octopus is working before they enter the water.
- During the safety drill, the instructor demonstrated how to locate and deploy the octopus if a buddy runs out of air.

### 5. to spread out

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to spread out in many different directions like arms.

For teachers: to extend or branch out in multiple directions from a central point.

- The city began to octopus into the surrounding countryside as new roads were built.
- The ancient tree's roots began to octopus across the forest floor, gripping the soil in a complex web of timber.

## Examples

- The octopus hides among the rocks on the sea floor.
- While diving in the reef, we saw an octopus squeeze its entire body through a tiny gap in the coral.
- Marine biologists have observed the octopus using discarded coconut shells as mobile shelters, a behavior that suggests sophisticated tool use previously thought rare in invertebrates.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.