mollusk

mol·lusk | \ ˈmä-ləsk

variants: or mollusc

Definition of mollusk

: any of a large phylum (Mollusca) of invertebrate animals (such as snails, clams, or squids) with a soft unsegmented body usually enclosed in a calcareous shell broadly : shellfish

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Examples of mollusk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Mussels are generally more tender, and the complete mollusk is consumed. — Popular Science, "14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean," 19 Oct. 2020 The stone shatters to reveal a fossilized relic within: an ammonite, an extinct mollusk with a telltale spiral pattern. — Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Kate Winslet gives her best performance in years in the striking, passionate ‘Ammonite’," 12 Nov. 2020 The little bay scallop is a delicious bivalve mollusk that’s indigenous throughout the East Coast of the US from New England to Florida and along the Gulf Coast to Texas. — Popular Science, "14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean," 19 Oct. 2020 Unlike oysters, some clams, and mussels, only a portion of the mollusk—the adductor muscle—is eaten once the shell is open. — Popular Science, "14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean," 19 Oct. 2020 Covering nearly 133,000 square miles and hosting more than 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 types of mollusk and 400 species of coral, the Great Barrier Reef is a vital marine habitat and a priceless crown jewel of the world’s ocean ecosystems. — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, "Climate Change Has Killed Half of the Great Barrier Reef’s Corals," 15 Oct. 2020 To their surprise, the small, plant-eating mollusk seemed to be munching on the coffee rust, according to a recent study published in the journal Ecology. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, "Invasive Snails Might Save Coffee Crops From Fungus, but Experts Advise Caution," 11 Mar. 2020 Scallops are a type of bivalve mollusk, meaning the interior muscle is surrounded by two shells similarly to oysters, mussels, and clams. — Mary Tomlinson, Southern Living, "What Are Scallops? Everything You Need to Know," 30 June 2020 Daily growth rings on a 70-million-year-old fossilized mollusk indicate that Earth turned faster at the time, squeezing 372 days into each year. — Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, "In Case You Missed It," 26 May 2020

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