tentacle
Americannoun
-
Zoology. any of various slender, flexible processes or appendages in animals, especially invertebrates, that serve as organs of touch, prehension, etc.; feeler.
-
Botany. a sensitive filament or process, as one of the glandular hairs of the sundew.
noun
-
any of various elongated flexible organs that occur near the mouth in many invertebrates and are used for feeding, grasping, etc
-
any of the hairs on the leaf of an insectivorous plant that are used to capture prey
-
something resembling a tentacle, esp in its ability to reach out or grasp
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tentacle
1755–65; < New Latin tentāculum, equivalent to Latin tentā ( re ) (variant of temptāre to feel, probe) + -culum -cule 2
Explanation
A tentacle is long, ropey thing that sticks out of an animal’s face. You probably think they’re gross. Octopuses probably think they’re cute. You can use the word tentacle when referring to all kinds of things that grasp and hold, not just slithery creatures like octopi and jellyfish. But the word does have creepy associations, which is why “the tentacles of organized crime” is a more common expression than, say, the “tentacles of friendship.”
Vocabulary lists containing tentacle
This Week in Words: September 1 - 7, 2018
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Thing About Jellyfish
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But rather than a Kingdom Hearts analogy, Castet said DDV took its inspiration from the adventure games of yore like Monkey Island or Day of the Tentacle.
From The Verge • Apr. 28, 2022
Tentacle numbers vary from one creature to the next, and A. reynoldsi can have anywhere from 26 to 39 tentacles.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2022
Following the excellent re-release of Grim Fandango, Schafer’s Double Fine studio is set to revisit one of his earliest hits with 1993’s quirky Day of the Tentacle.
From The Verge • Dec. 27, 2015
Ray learns of a covert group known as Tentacle 8, and soon he is on the run, determined to unearth information about it.
From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2015
Tentacle tongues shot out from beneath the rock, shivered, went limp.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
