cowrie
/ˈkaʊ(ə)ri
/(also cowry)
noun (plural cowries)
1A marine mollusc which has a glossy, brightly patterned domed shell with a long, narrow opening.
- Genus Cypraea, family Cypraeidae, class Gastropoda: numerous species, including the small money cowrie (C. moneta).
- These include Vasum, some photine buccinids, and some cypraeid cowries.
- Here butterfish can be seen feeding on mussels, and cowries are also in evidence.
1.1The flattened yellowish shell of the money cowrie, formerly used as money in parts of Africa and the Indo-Pacific area.Jabali said, ‘I don't have a single cowrie - and even if I had I wouldn't give it.‘...
- The article explains how cowries were exchanged for slaves and how East African gold entered Indian Ocean circuits.
- Almost all of the RAC's cowries went to the Slave Coast, with few arriving at any other destination.
Origin
Mid 17th century: from Hindi kauṛī.
Rhymes
- perskit
- persnicketiness
- persnickety
- persnickitiness
- persnickityness
- person
- -person
- persona
- personable
- personableness
- personably
- persona designata
- personage
- persona grata
- personal
- personal action
- personal ad
- personal advertisement
- personal alarm
- personal allowance
- personal appearance
- personal assistant
- personal banker
- personal best
- personal bill