conch

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conch

(kŏngk, kŏnch)

n. pl. conchs (kŏngks) or conch·es (kŏn′chĭz)

1. Any of various tropical marine gastropod mollusks chiefly of the family Strombidae, having edible flesh and a large spiral shell often with a flared lip.

2. The shell of one of these gastropod mollusks, used as an ornament, in making cameos, or as a horn.

3. Anatomy See concha.

[Middle English conche, from Old French, from Latin concha, mussel, from Greek konkhē.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

conch

(kɒŋk; kɒntʃ)

n, pl conchs (kɒŋks) or conches (ˈkɒntʃɪz)

1. (Animals) any of various tropical marine gastropod molluscs of the genus Strombus and related genera, esp S. gigas (giant conch), characterized by a large brightly coloured spiral shell

2. (Instruments) the shell of such a mollusc, used as a trumpet

3. (Architecture) architect another word for concha²

[C16: from Latin concha, from Greek konkhē shellfish]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

conch

(kɒŋk, kɒntʃ)

n., pl. conchs (kɒŋks)
con•ches (ˈkɒn tʃɪz)

1. any marine gastropod mollusk of the family Strombidae, having a thick pointed spiral shell with a wide outer lip.

2. any of various similar unrelated gastropods.

3. the shell of a conch.

4. (often cap.) Sometimes Disparaging.

a. (a term used to refer to a native or inhabitant of the Florida Keys.)

b. (a term used to refer to a Bahamian.)

5. Archit. a smooth concave surface consisting of or resembling the interior of a half dome.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin concha < Greek kónchē mussel, shell]

usage: Definitions 4a and 4b are usually used as neutral nicknames or terms of self-reference, though they are sometimes used with disparaging intent.

conch

(kŏngk, kŏnch)

Any of various tropical mollusks having a large spiral shell with a flared opening.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

conch - any of various edible tropical marine gastropods of the genus Strombus having a brightly-colored spiral shell with large outer lip

gastropod, univalve - a class of mollusks typically having a one-piece coiled shell and flattened muscular foot with a head bearing stalked eyes

genus Strombus, Strombus - type genus of the family Strombidae

giant conch, Strombus gigas - a large variety of conch

Translations

Muschel

kuorisiipikotilo

kagylókagylóhéj

conchiglia

conch

[kɒntʃ] N (conchs or conches (pl))

1. (= shell) → caracola f

2. (Archit) → cóclea f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

conch

[ˈkɒntʃ] n

(= shellfish) → conque f

(= shell) → conque f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

conch

n große, spiralige Meeresschnecke (used as trumpet) → Trompetenschnecke f, → Tritonshorn nt (also Myth)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

conch

[kɒntʃ] n (Zool) → (conchiglia di) strombo

References in classic literature ?

The sun poured down its burning rays upon the heathen deities of marble and bronze: it raised the temperature of the water in the conch shells, and ripened, on the walls, those magnificent peaches, of which the king, fifty years later, spoke so regretfully, when, at Marly, on an occasion of a scarcity of the finer sorts of peaches being complained of, in the beautiful gardens there - gardens which had cost France double the amount that had been expended on Vaux - the great king observed to some one: "You are far too young to have eaten any of M.

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Also, we were blowing conch shells, singing war songs, and striking the sides of the canoes with our paddles.

As we came down upon him, covering the sea and blowing our conches, he put off from the schooner in the small boat, along with the three black boys, and rowed for the passage.

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The door was open behind them, held back by a big pink conch shell with hints of sea sunsets in its smooth inner convolutions.

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The herd rounded up in the misty twilight, and when they got near the village Mowgli saw lights, and heard the conches and bells in the temple blowing and banging.

Then they banged the temple bells and blew the conches louder than ever.

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A milkman was distributing the contents of his cans from door to door; and the harsh peal of a fisherman's conch shell was heard far off, around the corner.

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Cries and yells of warning and anger were flying over the quiet water, and somewhere a conch shell was being blown with great success.

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After which superb display she retired, escorted by Jamie, both making a fearful din blowing on conch shells.

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An effort to draw aside the curtain of his conch was in some degree successful, although rendered difficult by the pain of his wound.

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In one corner stood a huge bag of wool, ready to be spun; in another, a quantity of linsey-woolsey just from the loom; ears of Indian corn, and strings of dried apples and peaches, hung in gay festoons along the walls, mingled with the gaud of red peppers; and a door left ajar gave him a peep into the best parlor, where the claw-footed chairs and dark mahogany tables shone like mirrors; andirons, with their accompanying shovel and tongs, glistened from their covert of asparagus tops; mock- oranges and conch - shells decorated the mantelpiece; strings of various-colored birds eggs were suspended above it; a great ostrich egg was hung from the centre of the room, and a corner cupboard, knowingly left open, displayed immense treasures of old silver and well-mended china.

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How good her complexion was, the outline of her soft cheek and the small convo luted conch of her rosy ear!