Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

cockleshell

play
noun cock·le·shell \ˈkä-kəl-ˌshel\

Definition of cockleshell

  1. 1a :  the shell or one of the shell valves of a cockleb :  a shell (such as a scallop shell) suggesting a cockleshell

  2. 2 :  a light flimsy boat

See cockleshell defined for English-language learners

See cockleshell defined for kids

People Are Reading

time-traveler-quiz-which-word-came-first
Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?
alt-59973139034d4
Trending: 'Svengali' Bannon leaving White House
video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066
image1489982902
Devilish Words

Recent Examples of cockleshell from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cockleshell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of cockleshell

First Known Use of cockleshell

15th century

COCKLESHELL Defined for English Language Learners

cockleshell

play
noun

Definition of cockleshell for English Language Learners

  • : the shell of a cockle

COCKLESHELL Defined for Kids

cockleshell

play
noun cock·le·shell \ˈkä-kəl-ˌshel\

Definition of cockleshell for Students

  1. :  a shell of a cockle

Learn More about cockleshell

  1. See words that rhyme with cockleshell

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up cockleshell? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

alleviate

play

to relieve or lessen

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. Svengali 'A person who manipulates'

  2. syzygy An obscure astronomy term goes mainstream

  3. hegemon "Something having dominant influence over others"

  4. repugnant Trump clarifies his position on racism

  5. white nationalist, white supremacist Trending in 2017

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

cockleshell

Test Your Vocabulary

Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

  • time-traveler-quiz-which-word-came-first
  • Which came first?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

watercolor-squares
We're Down With You Being—or Your Being?—a Square

It's about (you? your?) having your say.

image1489982902
Devilish Words

Don't blame a word use error on the devil.

alt-599492594f435
How 'Wonderful' Lost Its Sense of Wonder

A case of semantic bleaching

dog-covering-face
Don't Let Reading This Be Another 'Coulda' 'Shoulda' 'Woulda'

PSA: They're three separate words.

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

time-traveler-quiz-which-word-came-first
Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

Which word entered the English language first?

Take the quiz
name-more-food
Name More Food!

Test your knowledge of food vocabulary!

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
Add Diction
Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

Play the game