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, adjective

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, adjective

Word Origin for snail

Old English snægl; related to Old Norse snigill, Old High German snecko