How to Use cowrie in a Sentence

cowrie

noun
  • The dreamy gown which featured hundreds of cowrie shells and a glistening silver gown.
    — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Miles of white beaches, dotted with sea-glass and sculptural cowrie shells, are edged with turquoise seas of brilliant hues.
    — Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2021
  • Once a form of currency in West Africa, the cowrie is now a symbol of abundance.
    — Samantha Lawyer, Woman's Day, 17 Aug. 2022
  • Patterns made in a joyful colour palette and cowrie shell details pay homage to South Africa.
    — Amanda Randone, refinery29.com, 13 Apr. 2023
  • Nestled in their box, the cowries reminded me of a child’s marble collection.
    — Sarah Kaplan, The Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2017
  • Patterns made in a joyful color palette and cowrie shell details pay homage to South Africa.
    — Amanda Randone, refinery29.com, 13 Apr. 2023
  • His suits are African-themed, covered in cowrie shells and beads, with an elaborate warrior-style mask that covers his face.
    — Washington Post, 23 May 2022
  • The bark skirt is paired with a top made from abalone and northern cowrie shells, as well as a basket-style hat woven from Juncus and deer grass.
    — Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2023
  • Inside were stone benches and mats made from tamarisk twigs, an altar and a heap of cowrie shells apparently once strung up in a curtain across the door.
    — Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
  • The dress—adorned with cowrie shells, Black Swarovski crystals, and crowned with a stunning headpiece made a statement.
    — Shelby Stewart, Essence, 3 Feb. 2025
  • The Ngady Mwaash mask, with its beadwork and cowrie shell accents, can indicate the wearer’s class and rank in society.
    — Kimi Robinson, azcentral, 13 Feb. 2020
  • This includes designs inspired by the landscapes of the Caribbean and natural objects such as leaves and cowrie shells.
    — Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2021
  • The ancient Chinese were among those who used cowrie shells, which were prized for their beauty as materials for jewelry, to make payments.
    — National Geographic, 20 Mar. 2017
  • In the gallery here is its Venice counterpart, another huge vessel studded menacingly with cowrie shells.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Mar. 2023
  • Actor Theo Iyer also made a statement in a Kwasi Paul design with cowrie shell piping.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024
  • Adding cowrie shells, Berber babouches and obscure intellectual allusions to the mix felt somehow forced.
    — Guy Trebay, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2023
  • Her latest album was partly recorded in Dakar, and the cowrie shell has become a signature accessory.
    — Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
  • Fellow co-chair Lewis Hamilton donned a jaunty ivory tuxedo with a cropped jacket, a matching beret and cowrie shell embellishment.
    — Leanne Italie, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2025
  • Comprised of cowrie shells, the collar was elegant and a unique take on garbs worn during monumental, history-defining moments.
    — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The cowrie shells represent island groups, not individual islands.
    — Stephen E. Nash, Discover Magazine, 29 July 2016
  • Joe Bagley, Boston’s archaeologist, and his team uncovered a pea-size cowrie shell, which was often used as currency during the slave trade.
    — Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2023
  • There are stories told through jewel adornments and special trims, with symbolism in baobab flower motifs and natural materials like cowrie shells and mother of pearl buttons.
    — Colson Thayer, People.com, 5 May 2025
  • The significance of the cowrie shell in Ghana dates to its historical use as currency, and by extension, its connotation with wealth and abundance.
    — Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
  • For centuries, cowrie shells have had a deep cultural and spiritual significance in many African cultures and were once even used as currency across continents.
    — Gabi Thorne, Allure, 23 Oct. 2023
  • Bonner’s excellent mauve suit, its short jacket studded with Swarovski crystals and cowrie shells, alluded to the fact that the shells were once a form of currency in certain parts of Africa.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • Created from gold chain and cowrie shells, this installation weaves together narratives of trade, colonization and cultural rebirth.
    — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Money was also a means of accounting for debts; easier still than using cowrie shells would be to take the grain now, get some notches on a tally stick, and later provide llamas, or grain, or whatever was promised to pay off the debt.
    — James MacKintosh, WSJ, 4 July 2021
  • Every element is a way to share Hawaii’s history—from hapu‘u (tree fern), once a famine food for ancient people, to octopus, caught using a traditional lure involving a tiger cowrie shell.
    — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2022
  • Beyond its status as a protective talisman, the cowrie is also associated with womanhood and fertility.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Her recurring use of cowrie shells, for instance—like on her Come & Go & Come hoops—traces back to her African heritage, and touches on an affirmation that has guided her throughout life.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2020

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cowrie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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