conch

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

conch, n. [L. concha, Gr. ko`gchh. See Coach, n.].

•  A name applied to various marine univalve shells; esp. to those of the genus Strombus, which are of large size. Strombus gigas is the large pink West Indian conch. The large king, queen, and cameo conchs are of the genus Cassis. See Cameo and cameo conch.  [1913 Webster]

  " The conch is sometimes used as a horn or trumpet, as in fogs at sea, or to call laborers from work."  [1913 Webster]
•  In works of art, the shell used by Tritons as a trumpet.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the white natives of the Bahama Islands or one of their descendants in the Florida Keys; -- so called from the commonness of the conch there, or because they use it for food.  [1913 Webster]
•  See Concha, n.  [1913 Webster]
•  The external ear. See Concha, n., 2.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

conch, n. (pl. conchs or conches)
1 a a thick heavy spiral shell, occasionally bearing long projections, of various marine gastropod molluscs of the family Strombidae. b any of these gastropods.
2 Archit. the domed roof of a semicircular apse.
3 = concha.

Etymology

L concha shell f. Gk kogkhe