cockle

cockle
\ \ [14] The cockle is related etymologically to another mollusc, the conch: they both began life in Greek kónkhē – which meant ‘mussel’ as well as ‘conch’. From this was formed the diminutive konkhúlionsmall variety of conch’ – hence ‘cockle’. The Greek word subsequently became reduced to kokhúlion, whose plural passed into medieval Latin as *cochilia. Next in the chain was Old French coquille, source of the English word. The origin of the phrase cockles of one’s heart (first recorded in the mid 17th century) are not clear: some have claimed that the heart resembles a cockle shell, or more specifically that the fibres of the heart muscle spiral like the lines on a cockle shell, while others note a supposed resemblance of cockle to corculum, a Latin diminutive of corheart’, and others again point out that the scientific name for the cockle is Cardium, from Greek kardíāheart’, but none of these explanations really carries conviction.
\ \ Cf.CONCH

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Cockle — Coc kle (k[o^]k k l), n. [OE. cockes cockles, AS. s[=ae]coccas sea cockles, prob, from Celtic; cf. W. cocs cockles, Gael. cochull husk. Perh. influenced by F. coquille shell, a dim. from the root of E. conch. Cf. {Coach}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A bivalve …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cockle — cockle1 [käk′əl] n. [ME cokel < OFr coquille, a blister, shell, cockle, altered (infl. by coq, COCK1) < L conchylium < Gr konchylion, shellfish < konchē: see CONCH] 1. any of a family (Cardiidae) of edible, marine bivalve mollusks… …   English World dictionary

  • Cockle — Coc kle, n. [AS. coccel, cocel; cf. Gael. cogall tares, husks, cockle.] (Bot.) (a) A plant or weed that grows among grain; the corn rose ({Luchnis Githage}). (b) The {Lotium}, or darnel. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cockle — may refer to: Cockle (bivalve), a group of edible saltwater clams (marine molluscs) Lolium temulentum, a tufted grass plant Berwick cockles, a confectionery from Scotland Cockleshell The Mark II canoes used in Operation Frankton in 1942 The… …   Wikipedia

  • Cockle — Coc kle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cockled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Cockling}.] [Of uncertian origin.] To cause to contract into wrinkles or ridges, as some kinds of cloth after a wetting. [1913 Webster] {Cockling sea}, waves dashing against each other with …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cockle — ► NOUN 1) an edible burrowing bivalve mollusc with a strong ribbed shell. 2) (also cockleshell) literary a small shallow boat. ● warm the cockles of one s heart Cf. ↑warm the cockles of one s heart DERIVATIVES …   English terms dictionary

  • cockle — cockle1 /kok euhl/, n., v., cockled, cockling. n. 1. any bivalve mollusk of the genus Cardium, having somewhat heart shaped, radially ribbed valves, esp. C. edule, the common edible species of Europe. 2. any of various allied or similar mollusks …   Universalium

  • cockle — [14] The cockle is related etymologically to another mollusc, the conch: they both began life in Greek kónkhē – which meant ‘mussel’ as well as ‘conch’. From this was formed the diminutive konkhúlion ‘small variety of conch’ – hence ‘cockle’. The …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • Cockle — This name has two possible derivations, the first from the early Medieval English or Olde French cokille which means a shell or cockle . This surname may have been applied to pilgrims to the Shrine of St. James of Compostella who sewed shells on… …   Surnames reference

  • cockle — dirvinė raugė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Gvazdikinių šeimos vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Agrostemma githago), paplitęs Europoje ir šiaurės Afrikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Agrostemma githago angl. cockle; common corn cockle; corn cockle;… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

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