: any of various marine gastropods (family Cypraeidae) that are widely distributed in warm seas and have glossy and often brightly colored shells; also : the shell of a cowrie(Merriam-Webster)
I came across this word while reading You In America where the speaker says “His mother told you she loved your braids, asked if those were real cowries strung through them and what female writers you read.” Knowing what a cowrie is would help the reader visualize what the speaker looks like.
It’s not clear to me you understand how the cowrie is used. The passage you quoted doesn’t use the word. Can you include the right passage and then explain what the word means in context?
Sorry I accidentally quoted the wrong passage I’ll edit it and quote the correct one. Thanks for the feedback.