# cochlea

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɒk.li.ə/ · frequency rank #68,942

## Definitions
1. The complex, spirally coiled, tapered cavity of the inner ear of higher vertebrates, which contains the organ of Corti and in which sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses.
2. A spiral-shaped shell, especially that of a snail.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin cochlea (“a snail”), from Ancient Greek κόχλιας (kókhlias, “a snail with a spiral shell”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cochlea