cochlea definition - Dictionary

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cochlea

coch·le·a [ kóklee ə, kṓklee ə ] (plural coch·le·ae [ kóklee , kókli , kṓklee , kṓklee  ] or coch·le·as)

noun

Definition:

spiral hearing organ: a spiral structure in the inner ear that looks like a snail shell and contains tiny hair cells whose movement is interpreted by the brain as sound

[Mid-16th century. Via Latin coc(h)lea "snail shell, screw" < Greek kokhlias]

coch·le·ar [ kóklee ər, kṓklee ər ] adjective

coch·le·ate [ kóklee ət, kóklee àyt, kṓklee ət, kṓklee àyt ] adjective