cowrie

noun

cow·​rie ˈkau̇-rē How to pronounce cowrie (audio)
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 Inside were stone benches and mats made from tamarisk twigs, an altar and a heap of cowrie shells apparently once strung up in a curtain across the door. Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024 The significance of the cowrie shell in Ghana dates to its historical use as currency, and by extension, its connotation with wealth and abundance. Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024 Actor Theo Iyer also made a statement in a Kwasi Paul design with cowrie shell piping. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024 For centuries, cowrie shells have had a deep cultural and spiritual significance in many African cultures and were once even used as currency across continents. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 23 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for cowrie 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cowrie.' 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

Hindi & Urdu kauṛī

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cowrie was in 1662

Dictionary Entries Near cowrie

Cite this Entry

“Cowrie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowrie. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids 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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