Nautilus
/ˈnɔː.tɪ.ləs/noun
A marine mollusk with a coiled shell, or a vessel/submarine named after it.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek ναύτης (naútēs, “sailor”), because the shell was imagined as a kind of boat on the sea, not because the animal was mystical by origin.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ναυτίλος (naútilos)
“a sailor; later, a type of sea animal associated with sailing imagery”
Late Latin
Latin
nautilus
“borrowed form used for the shell-bearing sea creature”
Middle English
English
nautilus
“the sea animal with a coiled shell”
Modern English
English
nautilus
“a cephalopod mollusk with a chambered shell; also a name used for ships and submarines”