noun
cowrie
KOW-ree/ˈkaʊri/
A tropical sea snail with a glossy shell, or its shell, formerly used as money.
Each glossy cowrie shell has a narrow, toothed opening underneath.
Etymology
Hindi kauri names the shell itself; the English word refers to the same small, glossy shell, notable for its use as money in parts of Asia.
In context
It was the humble cowrie shell.
More examples
- She threads a cowrie onto a cord to make a necklace.
- Traders once accepted cowries as payment for goods.
- The cowrie pulls its soft body back into its glossy shell.
Forms
cowrie · cowries
Similar words
- shell
- Names the hard covering, not the living animal itself.
- sea snail
- Covers marine snails generally, not just cowries with glossy shells.