cochlea
[ kok-lee-uh, koh-klee-uh ]
/ ˈkɒk li ə, ˈkoʊ kli ə /
noun, plural coch·le·ae [kok-lee-ee, -lee-ahy, koh-klee-ee, ‐klee-ahy] /ˈkɒk liˌi, -liˌaɪ, ˈkoʊ kliˌi, ‐kliˌaɪ/, coch·le·as. Anatomy.
a spiral-shaped cavity forming a division of the internal ear in humans and in most other mammals.
Origin of cochlea
OTHER WORDS FROM cochlea
coch·le·ar, adjectiveWords nearby cochlea
Example sentences from the Web for cochlea
British Dictionary definitions for cochlea
cochlea
/ (ˈkɒklɪə) /
noun plural -leae (-lɪˌiː)
the spiral tube, shaped like a snail's shell, that forms part of the internal ear, converting sound vibrations into nerve impulses
Derived forms of cochlea
cochlear, adjectiveWord Origin for cochlea
C16: from Latin: snail, spiral, from Greek
kokhlias; probably related to Greek
konkhē
conch
Medical definitions for cochlea
cochlea
[ kŏk′lē-ə, kō′klē-ə ]
n. pl. coch•le•as
A spiral-shaped cavity in the petrous portion of the temporal bone of the inner ear, containing the nerve endings essential for hearing and forming one of the divisions of the labyrinth.
Other words from cochlea
coch′le•ar (-ər) adj.Scientific definitions for cochlea
cochlea
[ kŏk′lē-ə ]
Plural cochleae (kŏk′lē-ē′, -lē-ī′) cochleas
A spiral-shaped cavity of the inner ear and the main organ of hearing. The cochlea contains the nerve endings that transmit sound vibrations from the middle ear to the auditory nerve.