Cephalopod
/ˈsɛf.ə.lə.pɒd/noun
A class of marine mollusks, including octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish, with arms attached to the head.
Did you know?Cephalopod comes from Greek naming a creature whose “feet” are fused to its head, a stark anatomical image that still feels almost mythic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kephalḗ
“head”
Ancient Greek
Greek
poús
“foot”
Late 18th Century
Latinized scientific form
cephalopoda
“head-footed animals”
19th Century
English
cephalopod
“a mollusk with arms attached near the head”
Modern English
English
cephalopod
“a marine mollusk such as an octopus, squid, or cuttlefish”
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