ormer (AWR-mer) - n., a species of abalone (Haliotis tuberculata) living in waters of the Channel Islands.
The English Channel, that would be. Sometime used in Britain for all local abalone, or abalone in general. Borrowed in the 16th century from Guernsey dialect of French, from French ormier, short for oreille-de-mer, translating Latin auris maris, sea-ear -- so called from the shape of the shell's supposed resemblance to an ear.
---L.
The English Channel, that would be. Sometime used in Britain for all local abalone, or abalone in general. Borrowed in the 16th century from Guernsey dialect of French, from French ormier, short for oreille-de-mer, translating Latin auris maris, sea-ear -- so called from the shape of the shell's supposed resemblance to an ear.
---L.