Definition

A type of marine mollusk that has a hard shell and belongs to a group of cephalopods, which includes both living and extinct species.

Example

The nautiloid is often referred to as a living fossil due to its ancient lineage.

Conversation

Have you ever seen a nautiloid shell in a museum?

Yeah, they look really fascinating with their spiral shapes!

I heard they used to be more common in ancient oceans, right?

Exactly! It's amazing how many species have gone extinct since then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Nautiloid → It is formed from "nautilus" (from Latin *nautilus*, meaning ship or sailor) and the suffix "-oid" (meaning resembling or like). The word "nautiloid" refers to creatures that resemble the nautilus, a marine mollusk.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'nautilus' which refers to a type of marine creature, and remember that 'nautiloid' means something that resembles this creature.

Visually Confused Words