starfish

noun

star·​fish ˈstär-ˌfish How to pronounce starfish (audio)
: any of a class (Asteroidea) of echinoderms that have a body of usually five arms radially arranged about a central disk and feed largely on mollusks (such as oysters)

called also sea star

Examples of starfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To set it up, insert the six sea animal toys (an octopus, crab, two whales, and two starfishes); fill the mat’s center with water; and inflate the rim. Pamela Brill, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024 After starfish autotomize a limb, that limb eventually regenerates. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024 The biology behind this phenomenon in starfish was largely unknown until now. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024 When that was done, the scaffolds with the fungal mycelia and electrodes were shielded from vibrations and magnetic interference and installed in two robots: a walking one resembling a starfish, and a more standard four-wheeled rover. Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for starfish 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'starfish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of starfish was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near starfish

Cite this Entry

“Starfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starfish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

starfish

noun
star·​fish ˈstär-ˌfish How to pronounce starfish (audio)
: any of a class of echinoderms that have five arms arranged evenly around a central disk and feed largely on mollusks (as oysters)

More from Merriam-Webster on starfish

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