English
tentacle
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈtɛntəkəl/, /ˈtɛntɨkəl/
Noun

tentacle (plural tentacles)

  1. An elongated, boneless, flexible organ or limb of some animals, such as the octopus and squid.
    • 1873, Jules Verne, [https://web.archive.org/web/20141009081751/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=%2Ftexts%2Fenglish%2Fmodeng%2Fpublicsearch%2Fmodengpub.o2w 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]
      With one blow of the axe, Captain Nemo cut this formidable tentacle, that slid wriggling down the ladder.
    • 1897, H. G. Wells, The Crystal Egg
      The body was small, but fitted with two bunches of prehensile organs, like long tentacles, immediately under the mouth.
    • 1936, H. P. Lovecraft, The Shadow Out of Time
      Surmounting this head were four slender grey stalks bearing flower-like appendages, whilst from its nether side dangled eight greenish antennae or tentacles.
  2. (botany) One of the glandular hairs on the leaves of certain insectivorous plants.
  3. (figurative) An insidious reach or influence.
    the tentacles of the criminal underworld
Translations

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