nautilus

[ nawt-l-uhs, not- ]

noun

, plural nau·ti·lus·es, nau·ti·li [nawt, -l-ahy, not, -]

1. Also called chambered nautilus, pearly nautilus. any cephalopod of the genus Nautilus, having a spiral, chambered shell with pearly septa.
2. paper nautilus.
3. (initial capital letter) the first nuclear-powered submarine launched by the U.S. Navy.

nautilus

/ ˈnɔːtɪləs /

noun

1. any cephalopod mollusc of the genus Nautilus, esp the pearly nautilus
2. See paper nautilus
   short for paper nautilus

Word History and Origins

Origin of nautilus¹

1595–1605; < Latin < Greek nautílos paper nautilus, literally, sailor, derivative of naûs ship; the webbed dorsal arms of the paper nautilus were thought to have been used as sails

Word History and Origins

Origin of nautilus¹

C17: via Latin from Greek nautilos sailor, from naus ship

Example Sentences

He began field research on living nautiluses in 1975 at age 25.

From Nautilus

For the past decade, we’ve returned all the nautiluses we caught to the sea.

From Nautilus

Neither the nautilus nor coelacanth appear to be predators of live animals.

From Nautilus

Their predators, sharks and large fish, are visual hunters, so the nautiluses were safer in the darker, deeper depths.

From Nautilus

A week before, we had fitted the nautiluses with acoustic transmitters that gave their position and depth.

From Nautilus

There is something about being in Captain Nemo's Nautilus that makes the absinthe taste even better.

From The Daily Beast

The "next step," as in the case of the male organ of the nautilus, is to grow a tool and detach it.

From Project Gutenberg

The first is called Nautilus Papyraceus; and its shell is indeed no thicker than a piece of paper, when out of the water.

From Project Gutenberg

Two (p. 635) broadsides were then interchanged, by which the "Nautilus" was severely cut up, and eight of her crew killed.

From Project Gutenberg

The argonaut, or paper-nautilus, must be carefully distinguished from the pearly-nautilus or nautilus proper (Nautilus Pompilius).

From Project Gutenberg

At night the owner of a "Nautilus" canoe can either haul his craft ashore or anchor in deep water.

From Project Gutenberg