concha

1 of 2

noun (1)

con·​cha ˈkäŋ-kə 

plural conchae ˈkäŋ-ˌkē 

-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

ˈkäŋ-kəl 

adjective

concha

2 of 2

noun (2)

con·​cha ˈkän-chə 

variants or less commonly concho

ˈkän-(ˌ)chō 

: 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

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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

Medical Definition

concha

noun

con·​cha

ˈkäŋ-kə also ˈkȯŋ-

plural conchae -ˌkē, -ˌkī 

1

: the largest and deepest concavity of the external ear

2

: nasal concha

conchal

-kəl 

adjective