cuttle
/'kʌtl/ Cách viết khác : (cuttle-fish) /'kʌtlfiʃ/
Definition
Noun: * A marine mollusk belonging to the class Cephalopoda, characterized by an oval body, eight arms and two longer tentacles used for capturing prey, a pair of narrow fins running the length of its body, and a large internal calcareous shell called a cuttlebone. It is closely related to squid and octopuses.
Usage
The word "cuttle" is a shortened, less common form of "cuttlefish." It is used to refer to the animal itself, particularly in older texts or specific contexts like "cuttlebone." In modern usage, "cuttlefish" is the standard term.
Examples
- The cuttle can change its skin color and texture with remarkable speed for camouflage.
- We found a cuttle bone washed up on the beach.
- In the aquarium, the cuttle mesmerized onlookers with its pulsating color displays.
Advanced Usage
- "Cuttle" as a modifier: The word is primarily used in the compound "cuttlebone," referring to the animal's internal shell, which is often given to pet birds as a source of calcium.
- Example: The parrot sharpened its beak on the cuttlebone.
Variants and Related Words
- Cuttlefish (n): The full and standard common name for the animal.
- Cuttlebone (n): The light, porous, internal shell of a cuttlefish, composed of aragonite.
Synonyms
- Cuttlefish (n): The direct synonym.
- Sepia (n): The biological genus name () for many common cuttlefish species, also used for the brown pigment (sepia ink) they produce.
Notes on Different Meanings
The word "cuttle" almost exclusively refers to the marine animal. It is not to be confused with the unrelated verb "to cuddle."
Noun
-
ten-armed oval-bodied cephalopod with narrow fins as long as the body and a large calcareous internal shell
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