Cochleate
/ˈkɒk.li.ət/noun
Shaped like a spiral or snail shell.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek kokhlias, “snail” or “spiral shell,” and the same image was applied to the cochlea—the coiled chamber of the inner ear.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κοχλίας (kokhlias)
“Snail or spiral shell”
Classical Latin
Latin
cochlea
“Snail, snail shell, or spiral object”
Late Latin
Latin
cochleatus
“Spiral-shaped or furnished with a spiral form”
17th Century
English
cochleate
“Having the form of a spiral or snail shell”
Modern English
English
cochleate
“Spiral-shaped; especially used in anatomical, botanical, and zoological descriptions”
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