cowrie

noun

cow·​rie ˈkau̇-rē 

variants or less commonly cowry

plural cowries

: any of various marine gastropods (family Cypraeidae) that are widely distributed in warm seas and have glossy and often brightly colored shells

also : the shell of a cowrie

Examples of cowrie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The delicate, smaller twists are adorned with gold charms and the occasional cowrie shell. — Sunnah Rasheed, InStyle, 11 June 2026

Tribes often used valuable materials, such as cowrie shells, silver coins, or amber, in braids, which could indicate a person’s wealth or a family’s heritage. — Essence, 23 Nov. 2025

Her Fall/Winter 2025 collection, titled From Lagos with love, will highlight local artisans and Nigerian craft, including cowrie shell beadwork and screen printed Ankara on satin. — Waliyy Ajala, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2025

The encounter then opens up a conversation about how the owner only accepts antiquated forms of payment like iron ingots, salts and cowrie shells. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu kauṛī

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cowrie

• dowry
• floury
• lourie
• maori

Kids Definition

cowrie

noun

cow·​rie

variants also cowry

ˈkau̇(ə)r-ē 

plural cowries

: any of numerous usually small snails of warm seas with glossy often brightly colored shells