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con·cha

(kŏngkə)

n. pl. con·chae (-kē′)

1. Anatomy Any of various structures, such as the external ear, that resemble a shell in shape. Also called conch.

2. Architecture The half dome over an apse.

[Late Latin, semidome, from Latin, mussel shell; see CONCH.]

conchal (-kəl) adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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