Definition

1. Noun:
   • A species of cowrie: Cypraea moneta is a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the family Cypraeidae, commonly known as a cowrie.
   • Historical currency: The shell of this specific cowrie has been widely used as a form of money, ornament, and ritual object, particularly in parts of the southern Pacific and Africa.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Archaeologists found Cypraea moneta shells at the ancient trading site.
  • In some cultures, Cypraea moneta was more valuable than metal coins.

Advanced Usage

• "to be valued like Cypraea moneta": to be highly prized or used as a fundamental unit of value.
  • In that society, certain textiles were valued like Cypraea moneta.

Variants and Related Words

• Money cowrie: The common English name for .
  • The money cowrie was a key item in trans-Saharan trade.
• Cowrie (or cowry): The general term for shells of the family Cypraeidae.
  • Various cowrie species are found in tropical seas.

Synonyms

• Monetary shell: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its use as currency.
• Currency shell: Another term highlighting its historical economic function.

Related Phrases

• Shell money: A broader term for any mollusk shell used as currency, which includes .
  • Shell money, such as Cypraea moneta, facilitated trade across vast distances.

Related Idioms

• Not worth a cowrie: Means something is completely worthless (using the general term "cowrie," which historically included the valuable ).
  • His promise turned out not to be worth a cowrie.

Noun

1. cowrie whose shell is used for money in parts of the southern Pacific and in parts of Africa