Cephalopoda

/ˌsɛfəˈlɑpədə/ noun

Definition

A class of marine mollusks with arms and suckers surrounding their mouth, including octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish.

Etymology

From Greek 'kephale' (head) + '-poda' (feet, from 'pous'). The name literally means 'head-feet' because these creatures' arms emerge directly from their head, making them appear to walk on their heads.

Kelly Says

Cephalopods are so weird that their literal name—'head-feet'—actually describes their most alien feature: their arms ARE attached to their head, not their body, giving them a body plan completely different from almost every other animal.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.