Cowrie
/ˈkaʊ.ri/noun
A small glossy sea snail, especially one whose shell has been used as money or ornament.
Did you know?Cowrie shells were used as currency across Africa, Asia, and the Indian Ocean world, and in many cultures they also functioned as charms tied to fertility, protection, and divination.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Dravidian
PDr
*kavar
“a shell or shellfish (reconstructed source often linked to the Indian Ocean shell trade)”
Tamil
Ta
kāvi
“a cowrie shell”
Portuguese
Pt
búzio
“shell; later used in trade contexts for cowries in the Indian Ocean”
18th Century
English
cowrie
“a cowry shell, especially one used as currency or ornament”
Modern English
English
cowrie
“a small marine gastropod or its shell”