Cochineal
(Coch"i*neal) [Sp. cochinilla, dim. from L. coccineus, coccinus, scarlet, fr. coccum the
kermes berry, G. ko`kkos berry, especially the kermes insect, used to dye scarlet, as the cochineal
was formerly supposed to be the grain or seed of a plant, and this word was formerly defined to be the
grain of the Quercus coccifera; but cf. also Sp. cochinilla wood louse, dim. of cochina sow, akin to F.
cochon pig.] A dyestuff consisting of the dried bodies of females of the Coccus cacti, an insect native
in Mexico, Central America, etc., and found on several species of cactus, esp. Opuntia cochinellifera.
These insects are gathered from the plant, killed by the application of heat, and exposed to the sun to
dry. When dried they resemble small, rough berries or seeds, of a brown or purple color, and form the
cochineal of the shops, which is used for making carmine, and also as a red dye.
Cochineal contains as its essential coloring matter carminic acid, a purple red amorphous substance
which yields carmine red.
Cochineal fig
(Coch"i*neal fig) (Bot.) A plant of Central and Southern America, of the Cactus family,
extensively cultivated for the sake of the cochineal insect, which lives on it.
Cochin fowl
(Co"chin fowl`) (Zoöl.) A large variety of the domestic fowl, originally from Cochin China
Cochlea
(||Coch"le*a) n. [L., a snail, or snail shell, Gr. kochli`as a snail, fr. ko`chlos a shellfish with a
spiral shell.] (Anat.) An appendage of the labyrinth of the internal ear, which is elongated and coiled
into a spiral in mammals. See Ear.
Cochlear
(Coch"le*ar) a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the cochlea.
Cochleare
(||Coch`le*a"re) n. [L.]
1. A spoon. Andrews.
2. (Med) A spoonful. Dungleson.
Cochleariform
(Coch`le*ar"i*form) a. [Cochleare + -form.] Spoon-shaped.
Cochleary
(Coch"le*a*ry) a. [L. cochlearum penfor snails (meaning formerly given, snail shell). See
Cjchlea.] Same as Cochleate.
Cochleate
(Coch"le*ate Coch"le*a`ted) a. [L. cochleatus spiral or screw- formed. See Cochlea.] Having
the form of a snail shell; spiral; turbinated.
Cock
(Cock) n. [AS. coc; of unknown origin, perh. in imitation of the cry of the cock. Cf. Chicken.]
1. The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or domestic fowls.
2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.
Drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!
Shak.
3. A chief man; a leader or master. [Humorous]
Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left us.
Addison.
4. The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning; cockcrow. [Obs.]
He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock.
Shak.
5. A faucet or valve.
