concha

1 of 2

noun (1)

con·​cha ˈkäŋ-kə How to pronounce concha (audio)
plural conchae ˈkäŋ-ˌkē How to pronounce concha (audio)
-ˌkī
1
a
: the plain semidome of an apse
b
: apse
2
: something shaped like a shell
especially : the largest and deepest concavity of the external ear
conchal adjective

concha

2 of 2

noun (2)

con·​cha ˈkän-chə How to pronounce concha (audio)
variants or less commonly concho
: an ornamental disk (as on clothing or tack) of American Indian origin featuring a shell or flower design

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Drinks will have a tropical twist, such as a lemongrass-melon agua fresca and a Dark and Stormy with a sour punch from Filipino citrus calamansi, while other dishes will be cultural mash-ups, like a concha with vegan ube ice cream. Ferron Salniker, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2021 In addition to classic bakeries, the Alamo City has plenty of panaderías — Mexican bakeries — where people can enjoy a nice concha and sip on a hot cup of joe. Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Mar. 2023 The traditional concha or pan dulce (sweet bread) is a beloved option in many Mexican coffee shops and bakeries. Serena Maria Daniels, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023 Pair coffee with a concha at Tres Leches Café or find your new favorite album at Central Records. The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2023 The dish seemed to take the best parts of a Mexican concha and a classic char siu bao — as if a sugar cookie had a kid with a baked empanada. Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Nov. 2022 The best part of a concha is, arguably, the topping. New York Times, 21 Mar. 2022 For Latino families, nothing is more nostalgic or satisfying than a concha — a type of sweet bread that is often served at breakfast. Mireya Villarreal, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2021 Snack on a colorful concha while sipping a cafe de olla at this modern cafe. Tirion Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'concha.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Italian & Latin; Italian conca semidome, apse, from Late Latin concha, from Latin, shell

Noun (2)

American Spanish concha, from Spanish, shell, from Late Latin conchula, diminutive of Latin concha

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of concha was circa 1639

Dictionary Entries Near concha

Cite this Entry

“Concha.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concha. Accessed 6 Jun. 2023.

Medical Definition

concha

noun
con·​cha
ˈkäŋ-kə also ˈkȯŋ-
plural conchae -ˌkē, -ˌkī How to pronounce concha (audio)
1
: the largest and deepest concavity of the external ear
2
conchal adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on concha

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