octopus English · revision 1026

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɒktəpʊs/, /ˈɒktəpəs/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɑktəpʊs/, /ˈɑktəpəs/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-new|Octopus]], the genus name,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[grc|ὀκτώπους|tr=oktṓpous|t=eight-footed]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[af|grc|ὀκτώ|πούς|tr1=oktṓ|tr2=poús|t1=eight|t2=foot]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The usual ancient Greek name for the animal was ''polúpous''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The genus of eight-armed molluscs, or an individual of it (1758).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From 1882 the word was used figuratively of an organization with far-reaching branches and influence, especially a harmful one.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The plural ''octopi'' (1817) treats the ending as the Latin ''-us'' of nouns whose plural is ''-i'',^(Etymonline) but the Greek word belongs to another declension, whose plural would be ''octopodes'';^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary) ''octopuses'' is the plain English form.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1758 – the genus and the animal.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1817 – the plural ''octopi''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1882 – figuratively, a far-reaching organization.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of numerous [[carnivore|alt=carnivorous]] marine [[mollusk|alt=molluscs]] of the genus ''Octopus'' and related genera, with a soft rounded body, a large head, a beak-like mouth and eight arms, each with two rows of suckers.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Something, such as a large corporation, with many powerful branches controlled from the centre.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[octopod]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[polyp]]

+ * [[cephalopod]]

+ * [[eight]]

+ * [[foot]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The plurals ''octopuses'' and ''octopi'' are both in use;^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary notes that ''octopi'' is a hypercorrection, since the word is not a Latin noun in ''-us'', and that the rare ''octopodes'' follows the Greek plural.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}