octopus

1759 Philos. Trans. 1758 (Royal Soc.) 50 778 The Polypus, particularly so called, the Octopus, Preke, or Pour-contrel.

wow

Thanks! Always wondered about that. (See mongoose.)

Not sure I'd get too jocular with octopuses, or octopi for that matter, given then Mr. Potatohead story; they don't seem to have much of a sense of humor.

The preferred plural in English is "octopuses". "Octopus" comes from Greek, not Latin, so if a classical plural is used it should be "octopodes". "Octopi" is a well-established back-formation, often used in jocular contexts.

Oughtn't it be octopi?

Octopuses have personalities.

I read about a little octopus who was given a small toy figure of Mr. Potato Head and the little octopus became so attached to this toy that he would become aggressive if his keepers tried to remove it from him. He became adept at opening and closing a small compartment in the back of the toy. Somehow this story makes me love octopuses and appreciate them in a whole new way. I think it is a sad tale.

{G}etting all of one’s addictions under control is a little like putting an octopus to bed.
--Anne Lamott, 1994, Bird by Bird, p. 93

Love the quote and the book!

Have you ever heard a blind-folded octopus unwrap a cellophane-covered bathtub?
--Norton Juster, 1961, The Phantom Tollbooth

THE OCTOPUS
Tell me, O Octopus, I begs
Is those things arms, or is they legs?
I marvel at thee, Octopus;
If I were thou, I'd call me Us.
Ogden Nash