cochlea
Meanings
noun
- The complex, spirally coiled, tapered cavity of the inner ear of higher vertebrates, which contains the organ of Corti and in which sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses.
- A spiral-shaped shell, especially that of a snail.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin cochlea (“a snail”), from Ancient Greek κόχλιας (kókhlias, “a snail with a spiral shell”).
Derived words
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