noun
nautilus
NAW-tih-lus/ˈnɔːtɪləs/
A sea mollusk with a coiled chambered shell.
A nautilus swims through the ocean with its tentacles spread out.
Etymology
The Greek name literally meant “sailor.” It reflects the old belief that the animal used its webbed arms to sail along the sea’s surface.
In context
the chambered nautilus it belongs to a group of mollusks that have inhabited tropical oceans
More examples
- The nautilus lives in the outermost chamber of its shell.
- We watched two nautiluses swimming in the aquarium tank.
- The spiral staircase reminds me of a nautilus shell.
Forms
nautilus · nautiluses · nautili
Similar words
- cephalopod
- A broader group that also includes octopuses and squids.
- mollusk
- A broader category including snails, clams, and nautiluses.