turritella

noun

tur·​ri·​tel·​la
ˌtərəˈtelə
1
capitalized : a genus (the type of the family Turritellidae) of marine gastropod mollusks having an elongated turreted shell composed of many whorls with a rounded aperture and a horny multispiral operculum
2
or less commonly turritellid
-lə̇d
plural -s : any mollusk or shell of the genus Turritella or family Turritellidae see screw shell

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, irregular from Latin turris + New Latin -ella

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Cite this Entry

“Turritella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turritella. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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