nautilus

[nawt-l-uh s, not-] /ˈnɔt l əs, ˈnɒt-/
noun, plural nautiluses, nautili
[nawt-l-ahy, not-] /ˈnɔt lˌaɪ, ˈnɒt-/ (Show IPA), for 1, 2.
1.
Also called chambered nautilus, pearly nautilus. any cephalopod of the genus Nautilus, having a spiral, chambered shell with pearly septa.
2.
paper nautilus.
3.
(initial capital letter) the first nuclear-powered submarine launched by the U.S. Navy.
Origin
1595-1605; < Latin < Greek nautílos paper nautilus, literally, sailor, derivative of naûs ship; the webbed dorsal arms of the paper nautilus were thought to have been used as sails
Examples from the web for nautilus
  • nautilus eventually overcame this problem during four additional field tests.
British Dictionary definitions for nautilus

nautilus

/ˈnɔːtɪləs/
noun (pl) -luses, -li (-ˌlaɪ)
1.
any cephalopod mollusc of the genus Nautilus, esp the pearly nautilus
2.
short for paper nautilus
Word Origin
C17: via Latin from Greek nautilos sailor, from naus ship
Word Origin and History for nautilus
n.

marine cephalopod, c.1600, from Latin nautilus, in Pliny a kind of marine snail (including also squid, cuttlefish, polyps, etc.), from Greek nautilos "paper nautilus," literally "sailor," from nautes "sailor," from naus "ship" (see naval). The cephalopod formerly was thought to use its webbed arms as sails.