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[… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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 — 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 …