half shell

noun

|Updated on: 20 Jul 2018

Definition of half shell

: either of the valves of a bivalve

— on the half shell

: served in a half shell

oysters on the half shell

See half shell defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of half shell from the Web

The menu boasts many fresh catches, including the bay’s signature bivalves, whether in shooters, stews or omelets, grilled or raw on the half shell.

— richard stenger, SFChronicle.com, "Everything you need to know about the oyster capital of California," 3 July 2018
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with rock salt and nestle the oyster half shells in the salt to steady them.

— barbara mahany, chicagotribune.com, "Retro cookbooks offer comforts from another era for these uncertain times," 29 June 2018
Buffet-style Thanksgiving meal featuring shrimp and andouille gumbo, Hot Brown canapes, shrimp cocktail, Jonah crab claws, oysters on the half shell, house‑baked breads and a variety of mixed green and salads.

— gege reed, The Courier-Journal, "Looking for something to do? Try one of more than 50 events in Louisville," 22 Nov. 2017
L’Auberge Del Mar will lavish your leading lady with a Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet featuring an all-day omelet station and cheese station and a cold seafood display with oysters on the half shell and crab claws.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "117 ways to celebrate mom: Your San Diego guide to Mother's Day brunches, lunches and dinners," 7 May 2018
The menu is wide-ranging: terrific oysters on the half shell ($3 apiece), hefty chilled shrimp cocktail (three enormous prawns for $10) and uni ($9), fine but not in the same realm as the other two.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "It's a bar. It's a restaurant. It's the out-of-ordinary Snack Boys in Walker's Point," 1 May 2018
In the Living Room, with its talked-about portrait of Lil Wayne by Ashley Longshore, the menu offers drinks, desserts and small plates, like oysters on the half shell, cocktail meatballs and fritto misto.

— todd a. price, NOLA.com, "Fun is the goal at Jack Rose restaurant inside the Pontchartrain Hotel: opening alert," 10 Apr. 2018
But many of the winningest memories from here inevitably involve food: lobster tail fried on a stick; whelks expertly roasted in butter and chives; sweet and creamy scallop ceviche; and crisp, minerally oysters on the half shell everywhere.

— tyler graham, Condé Nast Traveler, "Exploring the Magdalen Islands, Canada's Remote Foodie Paradise," 2 Apr. 2018
Finish the day with oysters on the half shell at Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar, named after the historic fishing reef that sits directly south.

— the editors, Outside Online, "The 25 Trips You Need to Take This Year," 20 Mar. 2018

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