decapod

[ dek-uh-pod ]
See synonyms for decapod on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. any crustacean of the order Decapoda, having five pairs of walking legs, including the crabs, lobsters, crayfish, prawns, and shrimps.

  2. any dibranchiate cephalopod having ten arms, as the cuttlefish or squid.

  1. (initial capital letter) a steam locomotive having a two-wheeled front truck, ten driving wheels, and no rear truck.

adjective
  1. belonging or pertaining to the decapods.

  2. having ten feet or legs.

Origin of decapod

1
First recorded in 1825–35, decapod is from the New Latin word Decapoda name of the order. See deca-, -pod

Other words from decapod

  • de·cap·o·dan [duh-kap-uh-dn], /dəˈkæp ə dn/, adjective, noun
  • de·cap·o·dous, adjective

Words Nearby decapod

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use decapod in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for decapod

decapod

/ (ˈdɛkəˌpɒd) /


noun
  1. any crustacean of the mostly marine order Decapoda, having five pairs of walking limbs: includes the crabs, lobsters, shrimps, prawns, and crayfish

  2. any cephalopod mollusc of the order Decapoda, having a ring of eight short tentacles and two longer ones: includes the squids and cuttlefish

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or belonging to either of these orders

  2. (of any other animal) having ten limbs

Derived forms of decapod

  • decapodal (dɪˈkæpədəl), decapodan or decapodous, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for decapod

decapod

[ dĕkə-pŏd′ ]


  1. Any of various crustaceans of the order Decapoda, characteristically having ten legs, each joined to a segment of the thorax. Crabs, hermit crabs, lobsters, and shrimp are decapods.

  2. A cephalopod mollusk, such as a squid or cuttlefish, having ten armlike tentacles.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.