tentacle /ˈtɛntəkəl/noun 5verb 1forms 3 noun5 •An elongated, boneless, flexible organ or limb of some animals, such as the octopus and squid.With one blow of the axe, Captain Nemo cut this formidable tentacle, that slid wriggling down the ladder. — 1873 •One of the glandular hairs on the leaves of certain insectivorous plants. •(figurative) Something like a zoological limb. •(figurative) An insidious reach or influence. •(UK, historical) An officer employed to drive out to troops and transmit back requests for support via a special radio link. verb1 •To move like a tentacle formstentacled · tentacling · tentacles