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Glite Dictionary
🌀 Spiral-shaped 🐚 A sea mollusk
nautiloid

nautiloid

9.9
Having a spiral shell like a nautilus
  • adjective
  • /ˈnɔːtəˌlɔɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nautiloide
  • The building's staircase had a nautiloid curve that spiraled upward elegantly.

Examples

  • Scientists discovered a nautiloid fossil embedded in the ancient limestone.

  • The artist designed a sculpture with a nautiloid pattern inspired by sea creatures.

  • The nautiloid shell is beautifully spiraled.

  • Many fossils show nautiloid characteristics.

  • The nautiloid shape of the shell made it a fascinating specimen for marine biologists.

  • Artists often draw inspiration from the nautiloid form, appreciating its unique spiral design.

  • In her research, she described a nautiloid fossil that showcased the intricate patterns of its shell.

Synonyms

spiral-shelled
vsnautiloid
7.0

Having a shell shaped like a spiral

refers specifically to the animal and its coiled shell

Surface Forms

nautiloid positive

Morphology

nautiloid = nautilus (semi-transparent) = nautil + oid

The relation to 'nautilus' (a familiar animal name) is clear, but the suffix '-oid' is a technical/scientific formative meaning 'resembling' that many B1 learners may not know.

Etymology

Nautiloid comes from nautilus (the sea animal) plus the ending -oid, which means 'like', as in humanoid; so something nautiloid is 'like' a nautilus, often having a coiled, spiral shape.