oyster

noun

oys·​ter ˈȯi-stər 

often attributive

1

a

: any of various marine bivalve mollusks (family Ostreidae) that have a rough irregular shell closed by a single adductor muscle and include commercially important shellfish

b

: any of various mollusks resembling or related to the oysters

2

: something that is or can be readily made to serve one's personal ends

the world was her oyster

3

: a small mass of muscle contained in a concavity of the pelvic bone on each side of the back of a fowl

4

: an extremely taciturn person

5

: a grayish-white color

Examples of oyster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There was a time in this country when the Democratic Party held the moral high ground in American politics, but those days are long gone, and one need look no farther than oyster farmer Graham Platner for proof. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2026

Quietly tucked inside Hop City Beer & Wine, their concept makes use of premium proteins from Stone Mountain Cattle (co-owned by Sher) alongside seafood from Shell to Shore, an oyster and seafood program. — Sam Flemming, AJC.com, 24 June 2026

Later on, the easygoing, all-day menu caters to any cravings, from caviar and oysters to a casual croque monsieur, or competent steak tartare. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 June 2026

On the Mansion side of the property, the seasonal Ocean Terrace ranks as the resort’s signature restaurant, where guests can dine on oysters and other fare alfresco overlooking Cape Cod Bay. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oistre, borrowed from Anglo-French oistre, ostre, going back to Latin ostrea, ostreum "bivalve mollusk, oyster," borrowed from Greek óstreion, óstreon, of uncertain origin

Note: Greek óstreion has traditionally been taken to be a derivative, with a suffix -ei-, of a stem going back to Indo-European *h₃esth₁-r-, from the base *h₃esth₁- "bone." See note at ostracon.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing oyster

• European flat oyster
• European oyster
• Olympia oyster
• oyster bed
• oyster crab
• oyster cracker
• oyster drill
• oyster mushroom
• oyster plant
• seed oyster
• the world is someone's oyster
• vegetable oyster

Rhymes for oyster

• cloister
• moister
• royster

Kids Definition

oyster

noun

oys·​ter ˈȯi-stər 

: any of various marine mollusks that include important edible shellfish and have a rough uneven shell made up of two hinged parts and closed by a single muscle