nautilus

noun

nau·​ti·​lus ˈnȯ-tə-ləs How to pronounce nautilus (audio)
ˈnä-
plural nautiluses or nautili ˈnȯ-tə-ˌlī How to pronounce nautilus (audio)
-ˌlē,
ˈnä-
1
: any of a genus (Nautilus) of cephalopod mollusks of the South Pacific and Indian oceans with a spiral chambered shell that is pearly on the inside

called also chambered nautilus

2

Illustration of nautilus

Illustration of nautilus
  • nautilus 1

Examples of nautilus 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.
Like nautiluses, many coelacanths live in deep-sea environments, which are less affected by the surface conditions that result in mass extinctions. Scott Travers, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024 Clutching her custom Alaïa crystal mesh dress across her chest like Botticelli's Venus emerging from the shell, the nautilus of the Frank Lloyd Wright interior rising above her, the mononym icon appeared like a siren fresh from a shimmering sea. Chloe Malle, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2024 The state of cephalopod science has prompted the United States National Institutes of Health to consider whether these animals—which also include squid, cuttlefish, and nautiluses—deserve the same research protections as vertebrates. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 6 Oct. 2023 Some other living fossils include the coelacanth, the horseshoe crab, and the nautilus. Joseph Castro, Discover Magazine, 17 Aug. 2011 See all Example Sentences for nautilus 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, paper nautilus, from Greek nautilos, literally, sailor, from naus ship

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nautilus was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near nautilus

Cite this Entry

“Nautilus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nautilus. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

nautilus

noun
nau·​ti·​lus ˈnȯt-ᵊl-əs How to pronounce nautilus (audio)
ˈnät-
plural nautiluses or nautili -ᵊl-ˌī How to pronounce nautilus (audio)
-ˌē
1
: any of a genus of mollusks of the South Pacific and Indian oceans that are cephalopods and have a spiral chambered shell that is pearly on the inside

called also chambered nautilus

2

More from Merriam-Webster on nautilus

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