mussel

noun

mus·​sel ˈmə-səl 

1

: a marine bivalve mollusk (especially genus Mytilus) usually having a dark elongated shell

2

: a freshwater bivalve mollusk (as of Unio, Anodonta, or related genera) that is especially abundant in rivers of the central U.S. and has a shell lined with mother-of-pearl

Examples of mussel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here, the all-day menu has items such as ahi tuna Niçoise and paella risotto with British Columbia mussels. —Johanna Read, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

Each year, a mature female mussel can release up to one million eggs. —Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 20 July 2025

Swapping beef with farmed mussels can reduce your carbon footprint, which lowers your environmental impact.28 A 100-gram serving of mussels contains 23.8 grams of protein, which is just 1 gram less than what's found in the same serving of ground beef. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 July 2025

Moving mussels in the Ohio River upstream and out of the path of construction. —Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muscle, from Old English muscelle, from Vulgar Latin *muscula, from Latin musculus muscle, mussel

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mussel

• blue mussel
• quagga mussel
• zebra mussel

Rhymes for mussel

• bustle
• hustle
• muscle
• russel
• rustle
• trussell
• tussle
• mofussil

Kids Definition

mussel

noun

mus·​sel ˈməs-əl 

1

: any of various edible saltwater mollusks with a long dark hinged double shell

2

: any of numerous freshwater mollusks of rivers of the central U.S. whose hinged double shells are lined with mother-of-pearl