squid

squid — noun

1. A sea animal that lives in the ocean and whose long tube-shaped body has ten arm

1.nounB1
Definition

A sea animal that lives in the ocean and whose long tube-shaped body has ten arms. This word is also used for the meat of this animal when it is prepared as food.

Example

The diver spotted a large squid swimming near the coral reef.

countable use: a single animal

Yumi ordered fried squid at the restaurant by the harbor.

uncountable use: food or meat

Common collocations
  • fried squid
  • grilled squid
  • baby squid
  • giant squid
  • squid rings
  • squid ink
Synonyms
  • calamari

    Only used for squid as a food dish, especially in Italian or fine-dining contexts; common on restaurant menus

Usage Note

When referring to the living animal, squid is countable (one squid, two squid, or two squids). When referring to the food ingredient, it is uncountable: 'I like squid' (not 'a squid').

Common Mistakes

I ordered fried octopus at the night market.' (when you mean squid)
I ordered fried squid at the night market.
Squid and octopus are different animals; squid has a longer tube-shaped body and ten arms, while an octopus has a round head and eight arms.

Word family

  • squidgy
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are all sea animals with tentacles, but they differ in body shape and number of arms. Squid have a long tube-shaped body with fins on the sides and ten arms — eight short arms plus two longer tentacles. Octopus have a round, bulbous head and eight arms of roughly equal length, with no fins. Cuttlefish have a broader, oval body with a fin running around the edge, also with ten arms. In cooking, squid is commonly sold as rings or whole bodies; octopus is often served as whole arms or sliced; cuttlefish is used in soups and stir-fries. For example: 'The chef prepared grilled squid with lemon,' not 'grilled octopus' — unless the dish actually uses an octopus.

squid ↗octopus ↗cuttlefish

Common collocations

Nouns

  • squid fishing
  • squid boat
  • squid season
  • squid fishery

Phrases

  • school of squid
  • squid game

Etymology

unknown originEnglish

The origin of the word 'squid' is uncertain. It first appeared in English in the early 1600s. Some scholars suggest it came from 'squirt,' because squid move by squirting water out of their bodies. Others connect it to an older word 'squill,' meaning a type of shellfish. The link to the animal's ink-squirting defence is often mentioned.