cuttlefish

[ kuht-l-fish ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) cut·tle·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) cut·tle·fish·es.

1. any of several cephalopods, especially of the genus Sepia, having eight arms with suckers and two tentacles, and ejecting a black, inklike fluid when in danger.

cuttlefish

/ ˈkʌtəlˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any cephalopod mollusc of the genus Sepia and related genera, which occur near the bottom of inshore waters and have a broad flattened body: order Decapoda (decapods) Sometimes shortened tocuttle See also squid 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of cuttlefish¹

1400–50; late Middle English codel, Old English cudele cuttlefish + fish

Example Sentences

For the black ink (trmentum, 391) was occasionally substituted the liquid of the cuttlefish.

From Project Gutenberg

It is very similar to the ordinary cuttlefish, only, of course very much larger.

From Project Gutenberg

She leaned a bit heavily on the arm she took as they left the cuttlefish to his ill-conditioned solitude.

From Project Gutenberg

Another family—the Sepiad—contains the Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), the bone of which is such a common object on the beach.

From Project Gutenberg

The duke and his mother appeared to her as cuttlefish in a cave under perpendicular cliffs that ran into the sea.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abalone
• clam
• snail