cowrie

or cow·ry

[ kou-ree ]

noun

, plural cow·ries.

1. the highly polished, usually brightly colored shell of a marine gastropod of the genus Cypraea, as that of C. moneta money cowrie, used as money in certain parts of Asia and Africa, or that of C. tigris, used for ornament.
2. the gastropod itself.

cowrie

/ ˈkaʊrɪ /

noun

1. any marine gastropod mollusc of the mostly tropical family Cypraeidae, having a glossy brightly marked shell with an elongated opening
2. the shell of any of these molluscs, esp the shell of Cypraea moneta ( money cowry ), used as money in parts of Africa and S Asia

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowrie¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from Hindi, Urdu kauṛī, kauḍī, from Sanskrit kapardikā, diminutive of kaparda-, of Dravidian origin; compare Tamil kavaṭi, kotu “shell, cowrie”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowrie¹

C17: from Hindi kaurī, from Sanskrit kaparda, of Dravidian origin; related to Tamil kōtu shell

Example Sentences

In the Ifá tradition, every one of the 256 sacred Odù can be represented both by combinations of vertical dashes and by arrangements of cowrie shells or palm nuts on the divination tray.

From New York Times

One, in a purple dress beaded with cowrie shells, had a matching purple hood.

From Seattle Times

One blue and white duo, covered in beads, cowrie shells and little bottles, splits the difference between Nick Cave and central African power figures.

From New York Times

Strings of cowrie shells were tied to the wooden staff she held in her varicose-veined hands, and she leaned on it with each step as she approached.

From Literature

Reinterpreting the scene in two ceramic works, Leigh morphed the features on the face jug into giant cowrie shapes and gave the uncredited sitter — whom she called “Anonymous” — a cylindrical lower body.

From New York Times