Definitions

1. noun

The coiled tube in the inner ear of many vertebrates that contains the organ of Corti and is concerned with hearing and balance.

“The doctor examined the patient’s cochlea to determine the cause of her hearing loss.”

2. noun

A shell or spiral of a snail, limpet, or other gastropod mollusc.

“The fossilized cochlea of an ancient snail was discovered in the sedimentary rock.”