conch
conch Lexical Profile
conch Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The large, spiral, brightly lined shell of a marine gastropod mollusk, often kept as a decorative object or modified by removing the tip to be blown as a traditional wind instrument or signaling horn.
"The islanders blew into a polished conch to announce the arrival of the fishing fleet from across the lagoon."
Any of various tropical marine gastropod mollusks, particularly of the family Strombidae, native to warm shallow waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean and distinguished by a large, heavy, spiral shell with a flaring lip.
"While snorkeling over the seagrass beds in the Bahamas, we spotted a live queen conch slowly moving across the sandy bottom."
The firm, sweet-flavored edible meat of this marine mollusk, widely used in Caribbean and Floridian cuisine in dishes such as chowders, salads, and deep-fried fritters.
"We ordered a basket of crispy conch fritters and a bowl of citrus-marinated conch salad at the harbor restaurant."
In architecture, the semi-dome or vaulted roof covering a semicircular apse or niche.
"The Byzantine mosaic in the conch of the apse depicted saints against a shimmering gold background."
Word Nuance & Usage
The word 'conch' has two accepted standard pronunciations: /kɒŋk/ (taking the plural 'conchs') and /kɒntʃ/ (taking the plural 'conches').
• Rhymes for conch
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century via Middle French 'conque' from Latin 'concha', which comes from Ancient Greek 'konkhe' (mussel or shell), ultimately tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root shared with Sanskrit 'shankha'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.