octopus

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oc·to·pus / ˈäktəpəs/ • n. (pl. octopuses ) 1. a cephalopod (Octopus and other genera, order Octopoda) with eight sucker-bearing arms, a soft saclike body, strong beaklike jaws, and no internal shell. 2. fig. an organization or system perceived to have far-reaching and typically harmful effects.DERIVATIVES: oc·to·poid adj. / -ˌpoid/

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