Illustration of paper nautilus
paper nautilus
noun
: a pelagic cephalopod (genus Argonauta) of which the female has a delicate papery shell
Examples of paper nautilus in a Sentence
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Last year’s competition was won by Jialing Cai, whose photograph of a paper nautilus drifting on a piece of ocean debris at night, surrounded by heavy sediment, was taken in the Philippines.
—
Jack Guy,
CNN,
15 Aug. 2024
The argonaut octopuses secrete a thin, white, brittle shell called the paper nautilus.
—
Ed Yong,
Discover Magazine,
23 Dec. 2010
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Jack Guy,
CNN,
15 Aug. 2024
The argonaut octopuses secrete a thin, white, brittle shell called the paper nautilus.
—
Ed Yong,
Discover Magazine,
23 Dec. 2010
Cite this Entry
“Paper nautilus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20nautilus. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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