lirae
SayLEER-eeUS/ˈlɪɹi/UK/ˈlɪəɹiː/
- 1Plural of lira in the zoological sense: a fine raised ridge, as on a shell.
The species is identified by the fine spiral lirae on its body whorl.
Fine lirae line the inside of the outer lip of the shell.
Note
This plural takes the classical Latin -ae ending, where Italian has lire and English often makes do with liras. The ending does not say which lira is meant: the singular names the Turkish and other currencies, the old money of Italy and Malta, a Ukrainian folk instrument like the hurdy-gurdy, and the fine ridges on some mollusc shells. Context does the sorting.
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