- cowrie
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a) A gastropod of the family Cypraeidae common to the Indian Ocean.b) The pyriform shell, of the cowrie, especially of the species money cowry (Cypraea moneta), formerly used as money in some areas.
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cowrie
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cowrie — or cowry [kou′rē] n. pl. cowries [Hindi kauṛī < Sans kaparda] 1. any of a number of gastropods (family Cypraeidae) having brightly colored, glossy shells and found in warm seas 2. the shell of any of these mollusks, esp. the shell of the money … English World dictionary
Cowrie — Cow rie ( r[y^]), n. (Bot.) Same as {Kauri}. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Cowrie — Cow rie Cowry Cow ry(kou r[y^]), n.; pl. {Cowries} ( r[i^]z). [Hind. kaur[imac].] (Zo[ o]l.) A marine shell of the genus {Cypr[ae]a}. [1913 Webster] Note: There are numerous species, many of them ornamental. Formerly {Cypr[ae]a moneta} and… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
cowrie — small shell, used as money in parts of Asia, 1660s, from Hindi and Urdu kauri, from Mahrati kavadi, from Skt. kaparda, perhaps related to Tamil kotu shell … Etymology dictionary
cowrie — (also cowry) ► NOUN (pl. cowries) ▪ a marine gastropod mollusc with a smooth, glossy, domed shell with a long, narrow opening. ORIGIN Hindi … English terms dictionary
cowrie — /kow ree/, n. 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.… … Universalium
cowrie — UK [ˈkaʊrɪ] / US noun [countable] Word forms cowrie : singular cowrie plural cowries a shiny, coloured shell of a sea animal, used in the past as money in parts of Africa and Asia … English dictionary
cowrie — Kauri Ka u*ri, n. [Native name.] (Bot.) A tall coniferous tree of New Zealand {Agathis australis}, or {Dammara australis}), having white straight grained wood furnishing valuable timber and also yielding one kind of {dammar resin}. [Written also… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
cowrie — also cowry noun (plural cowries) Etymology: Hindi & Urdu kauṛī Date: 1662 any of various marine gastropods (family Cypraeidae) that are widely distributed in warm seas and have glossy and often brightly colored shells; also the shell of a cowrie … New Collegiate Dictionary
Cowrie — Kaurischnecken Neobernaya spadicea Systematik Klasse: Schnecken (Gastropoda) Überordnung … Deutsch Wikipedia
