starfish

noun

star·​fish ˈstär-ˌfish How to pronounce starfish (audio)
: any of a class (Asteroidea) of echinoderms that have a body of usually five arms radially arranged about a central disk and feed largely on mollusks (such as oysters)

called also sea star

Examples of starfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An experimental new wearable device is designed to make that happen, by copying the body structure of the starfish. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2025 Inside was a strange accumulation of sea lilies—a type of marine animal related to starfish, with a stalk for anchoring and feathery arms used for filter feeding. Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 The dress, which is entirely metallic, has straps reminiscent of starfish. Ana Serrano, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2025 Photos posted to his Instagram account at the time show Kennedy visiting churches, playing on the beach with a group of kids, and catching starfish in the ocean. Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for starfish

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of starfish was in 1538

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Starfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starfish. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

starfish

noun
star·​fish ˈstär-ˌfish How to pronounce starfish (audio)
: any of a class of echinoderms that have five arms arranged evenly around a central disk and feed largely on mollusks (as oysters)

More from Merriam-Webster on starfish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!