cowrie

Meanings

• noun

  A small, flat, spiral-shaped shell, typically of a tropical marine mollusk, used as currency or as decorative items.

  - "The ancient Yoruba people of West Africa used cowrie shells as currency."
  - "My grandmother's living room was adorned with a beautiful display of cowrie shells."
  - "Cowrie shells were once an important form of currency in many parts of the world."

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Synonyms

money cowrie , wampum

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with cowrie
coral , moral , porch , forth , bore , four

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Variants

List of all variants of cowrie that leads to same result
cowrie , cowries , cowry , kauri

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

The word 'cowrie' comes from the Portuguese word 'coura', which means 'cow'. The name originated due to the resemblance of the cowrie shell to the hump on a cow's back.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. Cowrie shells have been used as currency in Africa for over 2,000 years.

2. The largest cowrie shell on record is over 10 inches long and was found in the Indian Ocean.

3. Cowrie shells were once so valuable that they were used as payment for brides in some African cultures.

4. Cowrie shells were also used as a form of currency in China, India, and Indonesia.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. Seashell currency: Cowrie shells have been used as a form of currency in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa and Asia.

2. Mollusk: A cowrie is a type of mollusk, which is a large group of invertebrates that live in marine or freshwater environments and have a soft body enclosed in a protective shell.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In many African cultures, cowrie shells have been used as currency for thousands of years. They were also used as decorative items and for religious and ceremonial purposes. In literature, cowrie shells have appeared in various works, including Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart' and Wole Soyinka's 'The Interpreters'.

How to Memorize "cowrie"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a small, flat, spiral-shaped shell, similar to a snail shell, but smoother and more uniform in shape. Visualize the texture and color of the shell, and remember that it was once used as currency in many parts of the world.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'cowrie' with the image of a cow's hump, as the name of the shell comes from the Portuguese word 'coura', which means 'cow'.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic by remembering that 'cowrie' is a type of 'currency' that comes from the 'sea' and resembles a 'cow's hump'.

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