Illustration of scallop
- scallop 2a
1
a
: any of numerous marine bivalve lamellibranch mollusks (family Pectinidae) that have a radially ribbed shell with the edge undulated and that swim by opening and closing the valves
b
: the adductor muscle of a scallop as an article of food
2
a
: a valve or shell of a scallop
b
: a baking dish shaped like a valve of a scallop
3
: one of a continuous series of circle segments or angular projections forming a border (as on cloth or metal)
4
: pattypan
5
[French escalope, probably from Middle French, shell]
: a thin slice of boneless meat or fish
veal scallops
called also escalope
variants
or less commonly scollop
scalloped also scolloped; scalloping also scolloping; scallops also scollops
1
a
: to shape, cut, or finish in scallops
b
: to form scallops in
2
[from the use of a scallop shell as a baking dish]
: to bake in a sauce usually covered with seasoned bread or cracker crumbs
scalloped potatoes
: to gather or dredge scallops
Examples of scallop in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
More recently, scallops have been popping up, including in Barbie, where fun, curvy pieces dominated.
—Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024
The seafood and saffron plate ($38) includes salmon, jumbo shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, calamari and vegetables sauteed in a tomato saffron broth.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Upon his arrival Tuesday, Clark was served fresh seafood in the lobby, including scallops, wild salmon and Gulf shrimp.
—Sydney Page, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
For instance, fans of fresh scallops will probably find canned versions just as tasty.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 13 Mar. 2024
The event served plates of sautéed scallops and beet salads from the restaurant’s signature menu, along with specialty cocktails.
—Elizabeth Taylor, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024
This classic San Francisco dish pops up on Odd Duck’s menu from time to time and comes loaded with a seafood medley of scallops, mussels, shrimp and mahi mahi.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Freshly picked salad greens, kohlrabi sculpted into a scallop (and somehow even more delicious than the real thing), and plums baked into a featherlight clafouti all share the table.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2024
Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 9 Feb. 2024
These sprawling, curved surfaces have scalloped edges that extend into long tendrils.
—Quanta Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024
Warren wore red swim trunks, which matched nearly perfectly with Lorde's red strapless scalloped bikini.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
Today Almería is a sleepy provincial port surrounded by mountains that travelers often pass through quickly en route to the beaches that scallop the coast.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
Everyday tasks are elevated with warm woods and handcrafted one-of-a-kind pieces, like their checkerboard wood scalloped coasters.
—Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 2 Aug. 2023
Worse yet, pavement that's scalloped near the shoulder gives the front end fits.
—Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 11 May 2023
The steering holds up its end of the bargain, imparting a confident sense of straight-ahead unfettered by crosswinds and scalloped road edges.
—Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 13 May 2023
Yet the counter is always buzzing and stocks a full daily selection of fish for sushi: hamachi, Hokkaido scallops, ahi tuna, bluefin tuna, octopus, Scottish salmon.
—Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023
Noun
After a decade of serving everything from scallops to sea bass in the South of Fifth neighborhood of Miami Beach, the upscale seafood restaurant Prime Fish has closed for good.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
More recently, scallops have been popping up, including in Barbie, where fun, curvy pieces dominated.
—Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024
The seafood and saffron plate ($38) includes salmon, jumbo shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, calamari and vegetables sauteed in a tomato saffron broth.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Upon his arrival Tuesday, Clark was served fresh seafood in the lobby, including scallops, wild salmon and Gulf shrimp.
—Sydney Page, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
For instance, fans of fresh scallops will probably find canned versions just as tasty.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 13 Mar. 2024
The event served plates of sautéed scallops and beet salads from the restaurant’s signature menu, along with specialty cocktails.
—Elizabeth Taylor, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024
This classic San Francisco dish pops up on Odd Duck’s menu from time to time and comes loaded with a seafood medley of scallops, mussels, shrimp and mahi mahi.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Freshly picked salad greens, kohlrabi sculpted into a scallop (and somehow even more delicious than the real thing), and plums baked into a featherlight clafouti all share the table.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
Wind scalloped the surface of the water and Michi made a thumbs-down sign.
—Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 9 Feb. 2024
These sprawling, curved surfaces have scalloped edges that extend into long tendrils.
—Quanta Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024
Warren wore red swim trunks, which matched nearly perfectly with Lorde's red strapless scalloped bikini.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
Today Almería is a sleepy provincial port surrounded by mountains that travelers often pass through quickly en route to the beaches that scallop the coast.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
Everyday tasks are elevated with warm woods and handcrafted one-of-a-kind pieces, like their checkerboard wood scalloped coasters.
—Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 2 Aug. 2023
Worse yet, pavement that's scalloped near the shoulder gives the front end fits.
—Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 11 May 2023
The steering holds up its end of the bargain, imparting a confident sense of straight-ahead unfettered by crosswinds and scalloped road edges.
—Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 13 May 2023
Yet the counter is always buzzing and stocks a full daily selection of fish for sushi: hamachi, Hokkaido scallops, ahi tuna, bluefin tuna, octopus, Scottish salmon.
—Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scallop.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English scalop, from Anglo-French escalope shell, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch schelpe shell
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1682, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of scallop was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing scallop
Dictionary Entries Near scallop
Cite this Entry
“Scallop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scallop. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
scallop
2 of 2 verb1
: to bake in a sauce usually covered with seasoned bread or cracker crumbs
scalloped potatoes
2
: to shape, cut, or make an edge in scallops
More from Merriam-Webster on scallop
Nglish: Translation of scallop for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scallop
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share