cochlea

coch·le·a   (kŏk'lē-ə, kō'klē-ə)    n.   pl. coch·le·ae (-lē-ē', -lē-ī') also coch·le·as A spiral-shaped cavity of the inner ear that resembles a snail shell and contains nerve endings essential for hearing. [Latin, snail shell, from Greek kokhliās, snail, from kokhlos, land snail.] coch'le·ar adj.

cochlea 

Main Entry: co·chle·a
Pronunciation: 'kO-klE-&, 'käk-lE-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural co·chle·as or co·chle·ae /'kO-klE-"E, 'käk-lE-"E, -"I/
: a division of the bony labyrinth of the inner ear coiled into the form of a snail shell andconsisting of a spiral canal in the petrous part of the temporal bone in which lies a smaller membranous spiral passage that communicates with the saccule at the base of the spiral, ends blindly nearits apex, and contains the organ of Corti —co·chle·ar /'kO-klE-&r, 'käk-lE-&r/ adjective

cochlea coch·le·a (kŏk'lē-ə, kō'klē-ə)
n. pl. coch·le·as or coch·le·ae (-lē-ē')
A spiral-shaped cavity in the petrous portion of the temporal bone of the inner ear, containing the nerve endings essential for hearing and forming one of the divisions of the labyrinth.

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coch'le·ar (-ər)

cochlea   (kŏk'lē-ə)  Pronunciation Key  Plural cochleae (kŏk'lē-ē', -lē-ī') or cochleas A spiral-shaped cavity of the inner ear and the main organ of hearing. The cochlea contains the nerve endings that transmit sound vibrations from the middle ear to the auditory nerve.