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cuttlefish

American  
[kuht-l-fish] / ˈkʌt lˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

cuttlefish,

plural

cuttlefishes

  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 British  
/ ˈkʌtəlˌfɪʃ /

noun

  1. Sometimes shortened to: cuttle.  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) See also squid 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cuttlefish

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

Vocabulary lists containing cuttlefish

Marine Biology - Middle School

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Marine Biology - High School

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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.

"Squids and cuttlefish have so many unique features compared to other animal groups, making them an endless source of inspiration for scientists," says Prof. Daniel Rokhsar, head of the Molecular Genetics Unit.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Squid and cuttlefish are among the ocean's most fascinating animals, known for their color-changing skin and jet-like movement.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

A government review led by Prof Birch in 2021 assessed 300 scientific studies on the sentience of decapods and Cephalopods, which include octopus, squid, and cuttlefish.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2024

In 1778, British explorer Capt. James Cook was welcomed when he anchored off the Hawaiian islands by locals eager to trade cuttlefish, breadfruit and pigs for nails and iron tools.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2023

The former was made either of lampblack or some other sort of charcoal, or from the cuttlefish, and was called atramentum.

From Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life by Haines, T. L. (Thomas Louis)

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.