Illustration of nautilus
- nautilus 1
nautilus
noun
nau·ti·lus ˈnȯ-tə-ləs 
ˈnä-
plural nautiluses or nautili ˈnȯ-tə-ˌlī
-ˌlē,
ˈnä-
1
: any of a genus (Nautilus) of cephalopod mollusks of the South Pacific and Indian oceans with a spiral chambered shell that is pearly on the inside
called also chambered nautilus
2
: paper nautilus
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The cubbies were filled with objects: a nautilus, a hat, a small volcano. 
Honor Jones, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2021 First described by Greek mathematicians, this irrational figure (also called Phi) has been found in hurricane spirals, peregrine falcon dives, and nautilus shells. Popular Science, 17 Feb. 2021 The idea is that the nautilus is the perfect proportion and can be translated to architecture, composition, whatever. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 9 Feb. 2021 While most living squids have an internal hard-shell remnant known as a pen, the ram’s horn squid has an internal shell shaped more like the external, coiled shell of its cousin the nautilus. Danielle Hall, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Dec. 2020 Inside the squid’s oblong mantle lies a multi-chambered spiral shell that looks something like a miniature nautilus shell. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Nov. 2020 The first roll turned out a real dud, the gim too loose, each cut piece unwinding like a nautilus. Jennifer Hope Choi, Bon Appétit, 19 Aug. 2020 The nautilus-shell impressions, however, were made by a machine. Edward Burtynsky, National Geographic, 25 Mar. 2020 My parents had other O’Keeffe prints, too—cow skulls and empty mesas, nautilus-shell whorls and black doorways in adobe houses. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2020 See More
Honor Jones, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2021 First described by Greek mathematicians, this irrational figure (also called Phi) has been found in hurricane spirals, peregrine falcon dives, and nautilus shells. Popular Science, 17 Feb. 2021 The idea is that the nautilus is the perfect proportion and can be translated to architecture, composition, whatever. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 9 Feb. 2021 While most living squids have an internal hard-shell remnant known as a pen, the ram’s horn squid has an internal shell shaped more like the external, coiled shell of its cousin the nautilus. Danielle Hall, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Dec. 2020 Inside the squid’s oblong mantle lies a multi-chambered spiral shell that looks something like a miniature nautilus shell. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Nov. 2020 The first roll turned out a real dud, the gim too loose, each cut piece unwinding like a nautilus. Jennifer Hope Choi, Bon Appétit, 19 Aug. 2020 The nautilus-shell impressions, however, were made by a machine. Edward Burtynsky, National Geographic, 25 Mar. 2020 My parents had other O’Keeffe prints, too—cow skulls and empty mesas, nautilus-shell whorls and black doorways in adobe houses. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Latin, paper nautilus, from Greek nautilos, literally, sailor, from naus ship
First Known Use
1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1