ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun
: any of numerous echinoderms that constitute the class Asteroidea, that have a body of usually five radially disposed arms coalescing at the center to form a disk on the lower surface of which is the mouth and containing prolongations of the body cavity and of the digestive tract and other organs, a skeleton composed of small more or less movable ossicles, and ambulacral areas occupying furrows along the under surface of each arm and bearing rows of tube feet by means of which the animal crawls and grasps its prey, and that feed largely on mollusks and especially oysters