Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
< /ˌsɛf əˈlɒp ə dəs/. belonging or pertaining to the Cephalopoda.
noun
- any marine mollusc of the class Cephalopoda, characterized by well-developed head and eyes and a ring of sucker-bearing tentacles. The group also includes the octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, and pearly nautilus
adjective Also: cephalopodic, cephalopodous (ˌsɛfəˈlɒpədəs)
- of, relating to, or belonging to the Cephalopoda
1825, from French cephalopode, from Modern Latin Cephalopoda (the class name), from Greek kephale “head” (see cephalo-) + pod-, stem of pous “foot” (see foot (n.)).
- Any of various marine mollusks of the class Cephalopoda, having long tentacles around the mouth, a large head, a pair of large eyes, and a sharp beak. Cephalopods have the most highly developed nervous system of all invertebrates. Many cephalopods squirt a cloud of dark inky liquid to confuse predators. Cephalopods include the octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus, and the extinct ammonites, belemnites, and other nautiloids.