cowrie

American  

[kou-ree] / ˈkaʊ ri /

Or cowry

noun

PLURAL

cowries

1. the highly polished, usually brightly colored shell of a marine gastropod of the genus Cypraea, as that of C. moneta money cowrie, used as money in certain parts of Asia and Africa, or that of C. tigris, used for ornament.

2. the gastropod itself.

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cowrie British  

/ ˈkaʊrɪ /

noun

1. any marine gastropod mollusc of the mostly tropical family Cypraeidae, having a glossy brightly marked shell with an elongated opening

2. the shell of any of these molluscs, esp the shell of Cypraea moneta ( money cowry ), used as money in parts of Africa and S Asia

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Etymology

Origin of cowrie

First recorded in 1655–65; from Hindi, Urdu kauṛī, kauḍī, from Sanskrit kapardikā, diminutive of kaparda-, of Dravidian origin; compare Tamil kavaṭi, kotu “shell, cowrie”

Example Sentences

Spending time with his clothes — pinstriped suits accented with sinewy leather, belts embellished with coins and cowrie shells, or delicate yet stiff snakeskin pants — one is struck by the immeasurable depths of his inspiration.

From Los Angeles Times

In your images, I see you exploring police brutality on American soil, but also recurring motifs like cowrie shells, smoke and flowers seem to be more conceptual reminders of home, ritual, currency and cultural memory.

From Los Angeles Times

Headpieces made from cowrie shells are traditionally worn by young trainees.

From BBC

In the Ifá tradition, every one of the 256 sacred Odù can be represented both by combinations of vertical dashes and by arrangements of cowrie shells or palm nuts on the divination tray.

From New York Times

One, in a purple dress beaded with cowrie shells, had a matching purple hood.

From Seattle Times