wentletrap

W4E1N1T1L1E1T1R1A1P3

noun

Any of numerous species of elegant, usually white, marine shells of the family Epitoniidae, especially Epitonium scalare, which were formerly highly valued.

Similar
staircase shellladder shell
OriginDutch wenteltrap →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

nounwentletrap (plural wentletraps)

plural wentletraps

  1. Any of numerous species of elegant, usually white, marine shells of the family Epitoniidae, especially Epitonium scalare, which were formerly highly valued.

    Synonyms: staircase shell, ladder shell

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of numerous species of elegant, usually white, marine shells of the family Epitoniidae, especially Epitonium scalare, which were formerly highly valued.

Similar
staircase shellladder shell

Origin

  1. Dutchwenteltrap“a winding staircase”
  2. Englishwentletrap

Borrowed from Dutch wenteltrap (“a winding staircase”); compare German Wendeltreppe.

More words from Dutch

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch wenteltrap
  • wenteltrapany of numerous species of elegant marine shells of the genus Epitonium
Hungarian csigalépcső-csiga
  • csigalépcső-csigaany of numerous species of elegant marine shells of the genus Epitonium
Irish faocha bhiorach
  • faocha bhiorachany of numerous species of elegant marine shells of the genus Epitonium
Māori totoro
  • totoroany of numerous species of elegant marine shells of the genus Epitonium
Cite this entry
APA

wentletrap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wentletrap

MLA

“wentletrap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wentletrap. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wentletrap,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wentletrap.

Source: wentletrap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.