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# starfish

noun (a starfish, starfish or starfishes)

«starfish» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A starfish is a sea animal shaped like a star, usually with five arms, that lives on the sea floor and on rocks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#m1)
2. Scientists also call it a sea star, because it is not a fish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons, starfish are echinoderms, related to sea urchins; they have no bones and no brain, they move on tiny tube feet, and many can grow back a lost arm. On beaches and in rock pools in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, children find starfish. In stories, starfish stand for the sea and the beach.

### Examples

- We found a starfish in the rock pool. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x1)
- A starfish usually has five arms. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x2)
- Starfish are not fish, so scientists call them sea stars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x3)
- A starfish can grow a new arm if it loses one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x4)
- Put the starfish gently back in the water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x5)
- Starfish eat mussels by opening their shells. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x6)
- The starfish was orange and bumpy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x7)
- She lay on the sand like a starfish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/#x8)

### Note

Plural: «starfish» or «starfishes»; both are used. Trap: a starfish is not a fish; it has no backbone, gills or fins. Do not take living starfish home, because they die out of water.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «starfish» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/starfish/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«starfish» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/starfish.html) on Mova free.