1
: a marine bivalve mollusk (especially genus Mytilus) usually having a dark elongated shell
2
: a freshwater bivalve mollusk (as of Unio, Anodonta, or related genera) that is especially abundant in rivers of the central U.S. and has a shell lined with mother-of-pearl
Examples of mussel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The menu includes the requisite shellfish, on ice or broiled, as well as mussels, snapper ceviche and shrimp cocktail.
—
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Look for items such as a buttery flatbread topped with escargots, smoked bacon and lemon; rigatoni in a crab pomodoro sauce; mussels in a merguez-and-saffron broth; and chocolate mousse.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
After 15 minutes of cooking, nestle the shrimp, mussels and calamari rings in the rice mixture.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Frogs, snakes, mussels, and earthworms were also impacted.
—Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 3 Apr. 2024
The coast is also home to seals, dolphins, puffins, and a variety of marine life like crabs, mussels, and urchins.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
Remove the pan from the heat and discard any mussels that have not opened.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
On the far right, a seafood bar displays oysters, lobster, mussels and other marine creatures.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Source - Honest Paws sources their green-lipped mussel powder from the pristine waters of New Zealand, where the mussels are sustainably harvested and freeze-dried to preserve their natural nutritional benefits.
—Holistapet, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Look for items such as a buttery flatbread topped with escargots, smoked bacon and lemon; rigatoni in a crab pomodoro sauce; mussels in a merguez-and-saffron broth; and chocolate mousse.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
After 15 minutes of cooking, nestle the shrimp, mussels and calamari rings in the rice mixture.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Frogs, snakes, mussels, and earthworms were also impacted.
—Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 3 Apr. 2024
The coast is also home to seals, dolphins, puffins, and a variety of marine life like crabs, mussels, and urchins.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
Remove the pan from the heat and discard any mussels that have not opened.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
On the far right, a seafood bar displays oysters, lobster, mussels and other marine creatures.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Source - Honest Paws sources their green-lipped mussel powder from the pristine waters of New Zealand, where the mussels are sustainably harvested and freeze-dried to preserve their natural nutritional benefits.
—Holistapet, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mussel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Mussel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mussel. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mussel
noun
mus·sel
ˈməs-əl 
1
: any of various edible saltwater mollusks with a long dark hinged double shell
2
: any of numerous freshwater mollusks of rivers of the central U.S. whose hinged double shells are lined with mother-of-pearl
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