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Webster 1913 Edition


Conch

Conch

(kŏṉk)
,
Noun.
[L.
concha
, Gr.
κόγχη
. See
Coach
,
Noun.
]
1.
(Zool.)
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
.
☞ The
conch
is sometimes used as a horn or trumpet, as in fogs at sea, or to call laborers from work.
2.
In works of art, the shell used by Tritons as a trumpet.
3.
[often capitalized]
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.
4.
(Arch.)
See
Concha
,
Noun.
5.
The external ear. See
Concha
,
Noun.
, 2.

Webster 1828 Edition


Conch

CONCH

,
Noun.
[See Cancer.] A marine shell.
Adds orient pearls, which from the conchs he drew.

Definition 2024


conch

conch

English

conch

Alternative forms

Noun

conch (plural conches or conchs)

  1. A marine gastropod of the family Strombidae which lives in its own spiral shell.
  2. The shell of this sea animal.
  3. A musical instrument made from a large spiral seashell.
  4. A machine (rather like a rotating pestle and mortar) used to develop the flavour and texture of chocolate by warming and grinding; a concher or concher machine.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

conch (third-person singular simple present conches, present participle conching, simple past and past participle conched)

  1. To refine the flavour and texture of chocolate by warming and grinding, either in a traditional concher, or between rollers.
  2. To play a conch seashell as a musical instrument, by blowing through a hole made close to the origin of the spiral.

Translations