octopoid

comparative more octopoid · superlative most octopoid

1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling an octopus or octopod; octopuslike.

   Barrymore dramatised his own duality by means of a watercolour self-portrait, depicting the so-called 'Great Profile' fused with a hideous, octopoid spider. […]

   2007, Jonathan Rigby, American Gothic: Sixty Years of Horror Cinema, page 25

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   Moving about in experiment or sitting motionless in study were scores of the most hideous Martians they had yet seen—octopoid creature with enormous staring eyes and eight black tentacles.

   1956, Amazing Stories

   It is also touchingly absurd; its plan even is delightful and absurd in its informality: the Inner Circle, geometrically perfect, half-embraced by the faintly octopoid arms of the lake - both contained lop-sided in the arbitrary perimeter of the ...

   2000, David Piper, Fionnuala Jervis, The Companion Guide to London, Companion Guides, →ISBN, page 239

   An apish creature shambled with octopoid tentacles upon its shoulders; a human shape bore spider arms. Many of the depraved recombinations were incapable of erect ambulation, having blindly conjoined with limbs of too great disparity […]

   2014, Karl Edward Wagner, Bloodstone, Gateway, →ISBN

2. Widespread; reaching across or penetrating large distances; controlling many things from a central point.

   This is how an octopoid 'controlled economy' generates a proliferating 'black economy'.

   1989, Arun Bose, India's social crisis: an essay on capitalism, socialism, individualism and Indian civilization, Oxford University Press, USA

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   Further, monopoly is in the octopoid industries the only sensible method of supply, and in many others it brings economies in production, and improvements in the quality and stability of supply, of which it would be a back-handed kindness to deprive the consumer.

   1923, Sir Dennis Holme Robertson, The Control of Industry, page 113

   The fourth convenient grouping of media are the octopoid media of the twentieth century: those whereby the spoken word or pictures can be both reproduced and amplified electronically, thus reaching mass audiences very rapidly and with at least great physical authenticity.

   1977, Oliver Thomson, Mass Persuasion in History, page 15

   A central bank may be regarded as a highly specialized autonomous bureau for monitoring and developing the financial system which is akin to "octopoid," that is, spatially spread, public utility selling prized services to its customers.

   1991, Mr. Patrick Downes, Reza Vaez-Zadeh, The Evolving Role of Central Banks, page 16

   It is a characteristic of certain industries providing essential services either that the basic size of plant is very large inrelation to the market (gas, electricity), or that an elaborate 'octopoid' system of distribution (by piping, cabling, wiring, railway lines, etc.) involves extremely heavy capital costs.

   2013, Anthony Crosland, The Future of Socialism: The Book That Changed British Politics

plural octopoids

1. An octopuslike creature.

   The blue octopoid made no protest as Denise pried open the disk.

   2013, Don Webb, The War with the Belatrin, Wildside Press LLC, →ISBN, page 40

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   The scene lit up like a horror ride in an amusement park: Hundreds of yellow octopoids hung from the roof above him; a huge orange octopoid the size of a desk pulsated on the floor four meters in front of him; […]

   1987, Thomas R. McDonough, The Architects of hyperspace, Avon Books, →ISBN

   He could not see the octopoid he had assigned to block the tunnel, but sensed it was performing its task nonetheless, out of sight beyond a curve in the ramp; after the bladefish had dispatched the guards, it had slid down the harbor wall and […]

   1988, Mark E. Rogers, Nightmare of God, Ace Books, →ISBN

   A smaller native species that the settlers called a bobber was swimming into the octopoid's visual range. The globular, jellylike bobber was unaware of its danger. Tentacles lashed out, grasping at the prospective meal. The contest was even.

   1989, Juanita Coulson, Legacy of earth, Del Rey, →ISBN