nounplural noun starfish, plural noun starfishes

• A marine echinoderm with five or more radiating arms. The undersides of the arms bear tube feet for locomotion and, in predatory species, for opening the shells of mollusks.

  Class Asteroidea

  ‘Scattered on the cloth are pinecones and seashells, a sand dollar, a starfish, a sea urchin.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Echinoderms include the sea urchins and starfish.’
  • ‘Thus far there are no serious signs of predation by crabs or starfish.’
  • ‘Sea urchins and starfish are the last and most obvious group of marine creatures lurking to catch unwary and clumsy humans.’
  • ‘Growth on the hull of the wreck consists largely of small shells with grazing sea urchins and starfish.’