paper nautilus

paper nautilus
Nautilus Nau"ti*lus, n.; pl. E. {Nautiluses}, L. {Nautili}. [L., fr. Gr. nayti`los a seaman, sailor, a kind of shellfish which was supposed to be furnished with a membrane which served as a sail; fr. nay^s ship. See {Nave} of a church.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) The only existing genus of tetrabranchiate cephalopods. About four species are found living in the tropical Pacific, but many other species are found fossil. The shell is spiral, symmetrical, and chambered, or divided into several cavities by simple curved partitions, which are traversed and connected together by a continuous and nearly central tube or siphuncle. See {Tetrabranchiata}. [1913 Webster]

Note: The head of the animal bears numerous simple tapered arms, or tentacles, arranged in groups, but not furnished with suckers. The siphon, unlike, that of ordinary cephalopods, is not a closed tube, and is not used as a locomotive organ, but merely serves to conduct water to and from the gill cavity, which contains two pairs of gills. The animal occupies only the outer chamber of the shell; the others are filled with gas. It creeps over the bottom of the sea, not coming to the surface to swim or sail, as was formerly imagined. [1913 Webster]

2. The argonaut; -- also called {paper nautilus}. See {Argonauta}, and {Paper nautilus}, under {Paper}. [1913 Webster]

3. A variety of diving bell, the lateral as well as vertical motions of which are controlled, by the occupants. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Paper nautilus — Paper Pa per (p[=a] p[ e]r), n. [F. papier, fr. L. papyrus papyrus, from which the Egyptians made a kind of paper, Gr. pa pyros. Cf. {Papyrus}.] 1. A substance in the form of thin sheets or leaves intended to be written or printed on, or to be… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paper nautilus — n. 1. any of a genus (Argonauta) of small, squidlike octopods: the female secretes a large, frail, paperlike shell to protect her eggs until they hatch; argonaut 2. this shell …   English World dictionary

  • paper nautilus — Argonauta Ar go*nau ta, n. (Zo[ o]l.) A genus of Cephalopoda. The shell is called {paper nautilus} or {paper sailor}. [1913 Webster] Note: The animal has much resemblance to an Octopus. It has eight arms, two of which are expanded at the end and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paper nautilus — noun cephalopod mollusk of warm seas whose females have delicate papery spiral shells • Syn: ↑nautilus, ↑Argonaut, ↑Argonauta argo • Hypernyms: ↑octopod • Member Holonyms: ↑Argonauta, ↑genus Arg …   Useful english dictionary

  • paper nautilus — noun A pelagic octopus of genus Argonauta, found in warm seas, whose females produce a paper thin egg case resembling a shell into which she deposits her eggs. Syn: argonaut …   Wiktionary

  • paper nautilus — noun Date: 1835 a pelagic cephalopod (genus Argonauta) of which the female has a delicate papery shell …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • paper nautilus — any dibranchiate cephalopod of the genus Argonauta, the female of which has a delicate, white shell. [1825 35] * * * …   Universalium

  • paper nautilus — noun a small floating octopus, the female of which secretes a thin coiled papery shell in which its eggs are laid. [Genus Argonauta.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • paper nautilus — pa′per nau′tilus n. ivt any swimming octopod mollusk of the genus Argonauta: the female produces a delicate shell into which she lays her eggs • Etymology: 1825–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • paper nautilus — /peɪpə ˈnɔtələs/ (say paypuh nawtuhluhs) noun any dibranchiate cephalopod of the genus Argonauta, characterised by the delicate shell of the female; argonaut …  

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