nautiloid

noun

nau·​ti·​loid ˈnȯ-tə-ˌlȯid How to pronounce nautiloid (audio)
ˈnä-
: any of a subclass (Nautiloidea) of cephalopods bearing an external straight, curved, or spiral shell that were abundant chiefly in the Paleozoic but are represented in the recent fauna only by the nautiluses
nautiloid adjective

Examples of nautiloid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Today, Nautilus is the only surviving genus of the once widespread nautiloids. Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023 Reefs built by microbes gave way to some of the first coral reefs, trilobites grew larger, and tentacled predators such as nautiloids diversified and swarmed the mostly fishless seas. Joshua Sokol, Science | AAAS, 18 Sep. 2019 Perhaps the smaller mosasaur caught the nautiloid, but was forced to give up its prey when a larger mosasaur approached. Brian Switek, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1728, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nautiloid was circa 1728

Dictionary Entries Near nautiloid

Cite this Entry

“Nautiloid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nautiloid. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on nautiloid

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!