pourcuttle

English

Alternative forms

• pourcontrell, pourcontrel, pourcoutrel

Etymology

Uncertain first element + cuttle. The OED takes the forms with con to be easy misreadings of the earlier-attested cou (compare e.g. ouarine, a misreading of ouariue), but says pour- "can hardly stand for an earlier poul-" as on poulpe, polyp (compare polwygle, porwiggle as variants of pollywog).

Noun

pourcuttle (plural pourcuttles)

1. (obsolete) A cephalopod with tentacles; an octopus or cuttlefish. [16th–18th c.]
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

     The fish called a Pourcontrell [translating poulpe], or Manie-feet, changeth himselfe into what colour he lists, as occasion offereth it selfe; that so he may hide himselfe from what he feareth, and catch what he seeketh for.