n.
Pronunciation: ' k ō -kl ē - ə , ' kä-kl ē -
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural co · chle · as or co · chle · ae \ -kl ē - ˌ ē , - ˌ ī \
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, snail, snail shell, from Greek kochlias, from kochlos snail; probably akin to Greek konch ē mussel
Date: 1688
: a hollow tube in the inner ear of higher vertebrates that is usually coiled like a snail shell and contains the sensory organ of hearing ― see EAR illustration
– co · chle · ar \ ' k ō -kl ē - ə r, ' kä- \ adjective