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
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
Appearing on many occasions in layered mixed jewelry, long locs accessorized with cowrie shells, or a shapely afro in her earlier life, Shakur represented an eclectic, personalized form of Afrocentric style.
—Essence, 26 Sep. 2025
The new spot has Chalamet visiting a produce store selling rare vegetables where the owner only accepts antiquated forms of payment — think iron ingots, salts, and cowrie shells.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 July 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
See All Example Sentences for cowrie
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Waliyy Ajala, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2025
Appearing on many occasions in layered mixed jewelry, long locs accessorized with cowrie shells, or a shapely afro in her earlier life, Shakur represented an eclectic, personalized form of Afrocentric style.
—Essence, 26 Sep. 2025
The new spot has Chalamet visiting a produce store selling rare vegetables where the owner only accepts antiquated forms of payment — think iron ingots, salts, and cowrie shells.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 July 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
See All Example Sentences for cowrie
Cite this Entry
“Cowrie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowrie. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cowrie
noun
cow·rie
variants
also cowry
plural cowries
: any of numerous usually small snails of warm seas with glossy often brightly colored shells
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