A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Octopus,-podis (s.m.III), abl.sg. octopode, nom. & acc. pl. octopodes [> Gk. oktOpous,-podis (s.m.III), oktapous,-podis (s.m.III): Eng.: ‘octopod;’ > Gk. adj. oktapous (masculine and feminine), also oktapoun, to (neuter): ‘eight-footed’]; see pus, gen.sg. -podis (s.m.III); see -pus, gen.sg. -podis (s.m.III);

1. When capitalized: “A genus formerly including all of the common octopuses but now restricted to a few typical forms and being the type of the family Octopodidae (Order Octopoda); pl. octopuses [or octopi], also octopodes: “any mollusk of this genus; (broadly): any member of the order Octopoda usu. excepting the paper nautilus” (WIII).

2. As an English word, esp. in the pl. octopuses or octopi: “something that resembles or is thought to resemble an octopus esp. in having many branches centrally directed or in exerting control over others by many means” (WIII).