Cochlear
/ˈkɒk.li.ər/noun
Relating to the cochlea, the spiral-shaped part of the inner ear involved in hearing.
Did you know?The cochlea’s spiral shape was compared by Greek and Roman scholars to a snail or spiral shell long before modern anatomy understood its role in hearing.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κοχλίας (kochlias)
“Snail or spiral shell”
Classical Latin
Latin
cochlea
“Snail, spiral shell, or spiral staircase”
Late Latin
Latin
cochlearis
“Of or relating to a cochlea or spiral form”
17th Century
English
cochlear
“Relating to the cochlea of the ear”
Modern English
English
cochlear
“Relating to the spiral inner-ear structure responsible for hearing”