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starfish

/ˌstɑrˈfɪʃ/
/ˈstɑfɪʃ/
IPA guide

Other forms: starfishes

A starfish is a marine animal with five pointed arms. Starfish live in all the oceans on Earth.

Not all starfish are star-shaped (though most are), and they're not actually fish. These fascinating invertebrates, also called sea stars, live in every possible marine habitat, from the depths of the ocean to coral reefs and tide pools. Starfish are usually shaped like a five-pointed star, but they can have as many as 50 arms whose tiny suckers help them move along the ocean floor. They come in almost every color imaginable, including white, purple, bright red, and pink.

Definitions of starfish
  1. noun
    echinoderms characterized by five arms extending from a central disk
    synonyms: sea star
    see moresee less
    type of:
    echinoderm
    marine invertebrates with tube feet and five-part radially symmetrical bodies
Pronunciation
US
/ˌstɑrˈfɪʃ/
UK
/ˈstɑfɪʃ/
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