cowrie

or cow·ry

[ kou-ree ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural cow·ries.

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.

cowrie

/ ˈkaʊrɪ /

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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cowrie¹

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”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cowrie¹

C17: from Hindi kaurī, from Sanskrit kaparda, of Dravidian origin; related to Tamil kōtu shell

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Example Sentences

They are no wiser than the savages, who hide and hoard their little heaps of cowrie-shells.

From Project Gutenberg

In either half five or six holes were scooped out, and the game consisted in dropping cowrie shells or pebbles into the holes.

From Project Gutenberg

The folly of the gambling savage, who stakes his liberty against a handful of cowrie shells is nothing to it.

From Project Gutenberg

Their leathern collars are covered with cowrie shells sewn on them in various fantastic patterns.

From Project Gutenberg

A garter of white cowrie shells encircled one leg just below the knee.

From Project Gutenberg

Word of the Day

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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cowpuncher cowrite

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