cephalopod
noun
ceph·a·lo·pod
ˈse-fə-lə-ˌpäd 
: any of a class (Cephalopoda) of marine mollusks including the squids, cuttlefishes, and octopuses that move by expelling water from a tubular siphon under the head and that have a group of muscular usually sucker-bearing arms around the front of the head, highly developed eyes, and usually a sac containing ink which is ejected for defense or concealment
cephalopod
adjective
Examples of cephalopod in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s probably why the influencer chose to tow the cephalopod in a tank riding on a skateboard, complete with what appears to be a wireless aerator to supply the critter with oxygen.
—
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 4 June 2026
According to a recent study published in the journal Science, these enormous cephalopods would have been some of the biggest marine creatures of the Cretaceous Period and might have been the largest invertebrates ever.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Paperwork and logistics delayed the research process for the animal — a female cephalopod — though a crew aboard the E/V Nautilus discovered it more than a decade ago in collaboration with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park Directorate.
—Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Comparable eye preferences have been documented across fish, birds, cephalopods and mammals — not just as individual quirks but as population-level patterns.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cephalopod
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Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 4 June 2026
According to a recent study published in the journal Science, these enormous cephalopods would have been some of the biggest marine creatures of the Cretaceous Period and might have been the largest invertebrates ever.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Paperwork and logistics delayed the research process for the animal — a female cephalopod — though a crew aboard the E/V Nautilus discovered it more than a decade ago in collaboration with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park Directorate.
—Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Comparable eye preferences have been documented across fish, birds, cephalopods and mammals — not just as individual quirks but as population-level patterns.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cephalopod
Cite this Entry
“Cephalopod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cephalopod. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cephalopod
noun
ceph·a·lo·pod
ˈsef-ə-lə-ˌpäd
: any of a class of mollusks that include the squids, cuttlefishes, and octopuses and have a group of muscular sucker-bearing arms, highly developed eyes, and usually a bag of inky fluid which can be released for defense
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