cowrie
Americannoun
plural
cowries-
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.
-
the gastropod itself.
noun
-
any marine gastropod mollusc of the mostly tropical family Cypraeidae, having a glossy brightly marked shell with an elongated opening
-
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
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”
Explanation
A cowrie is a marine mollusk, a sea creature with a bright, glossy shell. The largest number of cowries live in the Indian Ocean. Cowrie shells were once a common form of currency, traded as money or worn as jewelry. They are particularly beautiful, shiny as porcelain (a word that's derived from the old Italian term for cowrie, porcellana). In North America, cowries are common along parts of the California coast, in Mexico, and in some parts of the Southeastern U.S. Cowrie is from the Hindi and Urdu kauri and a Sanskrit root, kaparda, "shell."
Vocabulary lists containing cowrie
Novel Study: Things Fall Apart, Part 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Nigeria Jones
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 7, Words to Know
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cowrie shells were used as currency and to adorn religious objects in several African societies.
From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022
Cowrie shells served a similar function in South Asia and East Asia.
From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022
Cowrie shells, company scrip, tobacco and feathers of exotic birds have all served as money at various times.
From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2021
Cowrie shells from the East Indies are used to adorn amulets as in Africa.
From Time Magazine Archive
Cowrie shells were counted and passed from the trader with the willowy body to the men who had captured them.
From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
