clamshell

noun

clam·​shell ˈklam-ˌshel How to pronounce clamshell (audio)
1
: the shell of a clam
2
a
: a bucket or grapple (as on a dredge) having two hinged jaws
b
: an excavating machine having a clamshell
c
: either of a pair of doors (as in an airplane tail) that open out and away from each other
d
: a hinged container, case, or cover that opens like the shell of a clam

Examples of clamshell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Videos of the VertiFlex show the panel appearing like a normal clamshell laptop when first opened. Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025 Invented by German chemist Fritz Stastny at BASF, the largest chemical producer in the world, EPS is in everything from coffee cups and takeout clamshells to packing peanuts. Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2025 Walmart also carries clamshell packs of nine mini muffins. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025 The foldable iPhone is expected to adopt Samsung's book-like clamshell design. PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clamshell

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clamshell was circa 1520

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Cite this Entry

“Clamshell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamshell. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

clamshell

noun
clam·​shell ˈklam-ˌshel How to pronounce clamshell (audio)
: the shell of a clam

More from Merriam-Webster on clamshell

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