Meaning

noun mollusk with a low conical shell

noun any of various usually marine gastropods with low conical shells; found clinging to rocks in littoral areas

originFrom Middle English lempet, from Old English lempedu (“lamprey”), borrowed from Medieval Latin lampreda, alteration of Late Latin lampetra (“lamprey”), whose further origin is unknown, though is traditionally thought to derive from lambō (“to lick, lap”) + petra (“stone, rock”). Doublet of lamprey, which came through Old French.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0