paper nautilus

paper nautilus
any dibranchiate cephalopod of the genus Argonauta, the female of which has a delicate, white shell.
[1825-35]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • paper nautilus — Nautilus Nau ti*lus, n.; pl. E. {Nautiluses}, L. {Nautili}. [L., fr. Gr. nayti los a seaman, sailor, a kind of shellfish which was supposed to be furnished with a membrane which served as a sail; fr. nay^s ship. See {Nave} of a church.] 1. (Zo[… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Paper nautilus — Paper Pa per (p[=a] p[ e]r), n. [F. papier, fr. L. papyrus papyrus, from which the Egyptians made a kind of paper, Gr. pa pyros. Cf. {Papyrus}.] 1. A substance in the form of thin sheets or leaves intended to be written or printed on, or to be… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paper nautilus — n. 1. any of a genus (Argonauta) of small, squidlike octopods: the female secretes a large, frail, paperlike shell to protect her eggs until they hatch; argonaut 2. this shell …   English World dictionary

  • paper nautilus — Argonauta Ar go*nau ta, n. (Zo[ o]l.) A genus of Cephalopoda. The shell is called {paper nautilus} or {paper sailor}. [1913 Webster] Note: The animal has much resemblance to an Octopus. It has eight arms, two of which are expanded at the end and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paper nautilus — noun cephalopod mollusk of warm seas whose females have delicate papery spiral shells • Syn: ↑nautilus, ↑Argonaut, ↑Argonauta argo • Hypernyms: ↑octopod • Member Holonyms: ↑Argonauta, ↑genus Arg …   Useful english dictionary

  • paper nautilus — noun A pelagic octopus of genus Argonauta, found in warm seas, whose females produce a paper thin egg case resembling a shell into which she deposits her eggs. Syn: argonaut …   Wiktionary

  • paper nautilus — noun Date: 1835 a pelagic cephalopod (genus Argonauta) of which the female has a delicate papery shell …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • paper nautilus — noun a small floating octopus, the female of which secretes a thin coiled papery shell in which its eggs are laid. [Genus Argonauta.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • paper nautilus — pa′per nau′tilus n. ivt any swimming octopod mollusk of the genus Argonauta: the female produces a delicate shell into which she lays her eggs • Etymology: 1825–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • paper nautilus — /peɪpə ˈnɔtələs/ (say paypuh nawtuhluhs) noun any dibranchiate cephalopod of the genus Argonauta, characterised by the delicate shell of the female; argonaut …  

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