snail
[ sneyl ]
/ sneɪl /
noun
any mollusk of the class Gastropoda, having a spirally coiled shell and a ventral muscular foot on which it slowly glides about.
a slow or lazy person; sluggard.
Machinery.
a cam having the form of a spiral.
Midwestern and Western U.S.
a sweet roll in spiral form, especially a cinnamon roll or piece of Danish pastry.
Origin of snail
before 900; Middle English
snail, snayl(e), Old English
snegel; cognate with Low German
snagel, German (dial.)
Schnegel
OTHER WORDS FROM snail
snail·like, adjectiveWords nearby snail
snaffle,
snafu,
snag,
snaggletooth,
snaggy,
snail,
snail bore,
snail cam,
snail darter,
snail fever,
snail kite
Example sentences from the Web for snail
British Dictionary definitions for snail
snail
/ (sneɪl) /
noun
any of numerous terrestrial or freshwater gastropod molluscs with a spirally coiled shell, esp any of the family Helicidae, such as Helix aspersa (garden snail)
any other gastropod with a spirally coiled shell, such as a whelk
a slow-moving or lazy person or animal
Derived forms of snail
snail-like, adjectiveWord Origin for snail
Old English
snægl; related to Old Norse
snigill, Old High German
snecko