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cuttlefish

noun

  1. order of molluscs
L319013 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈkʌtl̩fɪʃ/ / /ˈkʌt(ə)lfɪʃ/ / /-təɹ-/

noun

Etymology: From cuttle + fish.

  1. Any squid-like cephalopods (marine mollusks) of the order Sepiida that have eight arms, two retractable tentacles, and a calcareous internal shell, and can eject a dark ink when threatened.

    Cuttle-fish, spiced oysters, sea hedge-hogs, and lobsters were among the ingredients of love-potions that reputed thaumaturgist Apuleius [...] was accused of have prepared in order to win the love of a widow.

    Fossilised ink sacs are more conclusively known from the extinct “soft-bodied” Coleoidea cephalopods in groups Belemitida (including belemnites with bullet-like internal skeletons commonly found as fossils) and Phragmoteuthida as well as from squid, octopus and cuttlefish fossils.