variants
or less commonly cowry
plural cowries
: any of various marine gastropods (family Cypraeidae) that are widely distributed in warm seas and have glossy and often brightly colored shells
also
: the shell of a cowrie
Examples of cowrie in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Inside were stone benches and mats made from tamarisk twigs, an altar and a heap of cowrie shells apparently once strung up in a curtain across the door.
—
Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
The significance of the cowrie shell in Ghana dates to its historical use as currency, and by extension, its connotation with wealth and abundance.
—Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
Actor Theo Iyer also made a statement in a Kwasi Paul design with cowrie shell piping.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024
For centuries, cowrie shells have had a deep cultural and spiritual significance in many African cultures and were once even used as currency across continents.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 23 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for cowrie 
Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
The significance of the cowrie shell in Ghana dates to its historical use as currency, and by extension, its connotation with wealth and abundance.
—Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
Actor Theo Iyer also made a statement in a Kwasi Paul design with cowrie shell piping.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024
For centuries, cowrie shells have had a deep cultural and spiritual significance in many African cultures and were once even used as currency across continents.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 23 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for cowrie
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cowrie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cowrie
Cite this Entry
“Cowrie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowrie. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cowrie
noun
cow·rie
variants
also cowry
plural cowries
: any of numerous usually small snails of warm seas with glossy often brightly colored shells
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