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snail
[ sneyl ]
/ sneɪl /
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noun
any mollusk of the class Gastropoda, having a spirally coiled shell and a ventral muscular foot on which it slowly glides about.
a slow or lazy person; sluggard.
Machinery. a cam having the form of a spiral.
Midwestern and Western U.S. a sweet roll in spiral form, especially a cinnamon roll or piece of Danish pastry.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of snail
before 900; Middle English snail, snayl(e), Old English snegel; cognate with Low German snagel,German (dial.) Schnegel
OTHER WORDS FROM snail
snaillike, adjectiveWords nearby snail
snaffle, snafu, snag, snaggletooth, snaggy, snail, snail cam, snail darter, snail fever, snailfish, snailflower
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use snail in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for snail
snail
/ (sneɪl) /
noun
any of numerous terrestrial or freshwater gastropod molluscs with a spirally coiled shell, esp any of the family Helicidae, such as Helix aspersa (garden snail)
any other gastropod with a spirally coiled shell, such as a whelk
a slow-moving or lazy person or animal
Derived forms of snail
snail-like, adjectiveWord Origin for snail
Old English snægl; related to Old Norse snigill, Old High German snecko
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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