conch

Alternative forms

• conk, conque

Etymology

From Latin concha, from Ancient Greek κόγχη (kónkhē). Doublet of concha.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɒnt͡ʃ/, /ˈkɒŋk/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒntʃ, -ɒŋk

Noun

conch (plural conches or conchs)

1. A marine gastropod of the family Strombidae which lives in its own spiral shell.
2. The shell of this sea animal.
3. A musical instrument made from a large spiral seashell, somewhat like a trumpet.
4. (architecture) The semidome of an apse, or the apse itself.
5. Synonym of concher (“machine used to refine the flavour and texture of chocolate”)

Verb

conch (third-person singular simple present conches, present participle conching, simple past and past participle conched)

1. To refine the flavour and texture of chocolate by warming and grinding, either in a traditional concher, or between rollers.
2. To play a conch seashell as a musical instrument, by blowing through a hole made close to the origin of the spiral.