conch English · revision 893

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkɒŋk/, /ˈkɒnt͡ʃ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkɑŋk/, /ˈkɑnt͡ʃ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|conche]],^(AHD) [[bor|la|concha|t=shellfish, mussel; shell]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|κόγχη|tr=kónkhē|t=mussel, cockle]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) perhaps related to Sanskrit ''śaṅkha'' “conch shell”,^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) or else from a pre-Greek word.^(Etymonline) The earlier English forms ''conke'' and ''congh'' reflect the English pronunciation of Latin ''concha'' with ''k''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A shallow bowl (1391);^(Barnhart 1995) a shellfish, originally a bivalve such as a mussel or oyster (1398).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 18th century the word was used chiefly of large gastropods with spiral shells,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and of such a shell used as a horn, as in Hindu temples and on West Indian plantations, or as the trumpet of the mythical Tritons (1764).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) In architecture a ''conch'' is the domed roof of an apse (1849).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) As a nickname for natives of the Florida Keys, from their eating conch flesh, it dates from at least 1833.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1391 – a shallow bowl.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1398 – a shellfish.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1764 – a shell used as a horn.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1774 – the spiral shell of a mollusc.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1833 – a native of the Florida Keys.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1849 – the semidome of an apse.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various large tropical marine [[gastropod|alt=gastropods]], especially of the genus ''Strombus'', with a large spiral shell and edible flesh.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The shell of such a mollusc, used as an ornament, for [[cameo|alt=cameos]], or blown as a horn.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(architecture)'' The half-dome of an [[apse]].^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(often capitalized)'' A native or resident of the Florida Keys.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[conchology]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[congius]]

+ * [[concha]]

+ * [[cockle]]

+ * [[mussel]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}