- volute
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/veuh looht"/, n.1. a spiral or twisted formation or object.2. Archit. a spiral ornament, found esp. in the capitals of the Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite orders.3. Carpentry. a horizontal scrolled termination to the handrail of a stair.4. Zool.a. a turn or whorl of a spiral shell.b. any of various tropical marine gastropods of the family Volutidae, many species of which have shells prized for their coloration.5. the spiral casing surrounding the impeller of a volute pump.adj.6. having a volute or rolled-up form.7. Mach.a. spirally shaped or having a part so shaped.b. moving in a circular way, esp. if combined with a lateral motion.[1690-1700; ( < F) < L voluta, fem. of volutus, ptp. of volvere to turn. See REVOLVE]
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▪ marine snailany marine snail of the family Volutidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda). Most species have large, colourful shells, typically with an elongated aperture in the first whorl of the shell and a number of deep folds on the inner lip. Volutes are most common in warm, shallow waters but occur also in polar seas. Prized by collectors is the imperial volute (Aulica imperialis) of the Philippines; it is 25 cm (10 inches) long, with a spine-tipped body whorl finely checked with brown, and an outer lip that is wide and golden-lined.* * *
Universalium. 2010.