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conchology
Apr. 5th, 2017 07:46 amconchology (kong-KOL-oh-jee) - n., the study of mollusk shells; the hobby of collecting shells.
Not now the study of mollusks in general, as that's malacology, but back when it was much more common to have only a shell in hand, especially of non-local species, conchology was considered to be malacology. Shell-collecting for pure esthetics and completing lists is different from studying, of course, but is sometimes also called conchology. Coined in the 1770s from Greek roots kónchē, mussel as well as more generally shell + -ology.
---L.
Not now the study of mollusks in general, as that's malacology, but back when it was much more common to have only a shell in hand, especially of non-local species, conchology was considered to be malacology. Shell-collecting for pure esthetics and completing lists is different from studying, of course, but is sometimes also called conchology. Coined in the 1770s from Greek roots kónchē, mussel as well as more generally shell + -ology.
---L.
