conch

 
Pronunciation: /kɒŋk, kɒn(t)ʃ/

noun (plural conchs /kɒŋks/ or conches /ˈkɒntʃɪz/)

  • 1 (also conch shell) a tropical marine mollusc with a robust spiral shell which may bear long projections and have a flared lip.
    • Strombus and other genera, family Strombidae, class Gastropoda
  • a conch shell blown like a trumpet to produce a hollow-sounding musical note, often depicted as played by Tritons.
  • 2 Architecture the roof of a semicircular apse, shaped like half a dome.

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin concha 'shellfish, shell', from Greek konkhē 'mussel, cockle, or shell-like cavity'