oyster

play

noun, often attributive oys·ter \ ˈȯi-stər \

Definition of oyster

1 a :any of various marine bivalve mollusks (family Ostreidae) that have a rough irregular shell closed by a single adductor muscle and include commercially important shellfish

b :any of various mollusks resembling or related to the oysters

2 :something that is or can be readily made to serve one's personal ends

the world was her oyster

3 :a small mass of muscle contained in a concavity of the pelvic bone on each side of the back of a fowl

4 :an extremely taciturn person

5 :a grayish-white color

See oyster defined for English-language learners

See oyster defined for kids

Recent Examples of oyster from the Web

Herringbone La Jolla will serve $1 oysters all day, with a limit of two dozen per table.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Shuck, slurp, swallow, repeat. National Oyster Day is Saturday.," 2 Aug. 2017
Raw oysters • Grilled poultry • Fish Tacos • Watermelon salad • Feta cheese/ chevre •

— sam calagione, SI.com, "Summer Beer Guide: Step (and drink) out of your comfort zone this season," 18 July 2017
His signature dish of jewels of white pearl oysters with vodka-tonic gels was the best of dozens in Brussels and among the best this year.

— ian wishart, Bloomberg.com, "So You're a Brexit Negotiator in Brussels? Here's Where to Drink," 15 July 2017
There are also plans afoot for a weekend brunch and a pop-up oyster bar.

— connie ogle, miamiherald, "Never mind the construction: Bookstore in the Grove is back," 15 July 2017
The most important thing is to be cautious when ordering oysters or jumping into the Gulf this summer.

— carly breit, Country Living, "Beachgoers Beware: There's a Flesh-Eating Bacteria in Alabama's Waters," 13 July 2017
The all-you-can-eat buffet features unlimited oysters, caviar, sushi, and fresh masa tortillas made to order.

— cole kazdin, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Secret Brunch Deal Will Make You Want to Drive to Santa Barbara," 7 July 2017
Future offerings will include a pop-up oyster bar, a weekend seafood brunch and other foods currently hard to find in the Grove.

— rene rodriguez, miamiherald, "The Bookstore in the Grove was going to close. Instead, it got a renovation," 6 July 2017
Crispy avocado samosas, oysters on the half shell, and tater-tots smothered with cheddar cheese.

— cole kazdin, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Best Summer Happy Hours in L.A.," 6 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of oyster

Middle English oistre, from Anglo-French, from Latin ostrea, from Greek ostreon; akin to Greek ostrakon shell, osteon bone — more at osseous

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

OYSTER Defined for English Language Learners

oyster

play

noun

Definition of oyster for English Language Learners

: a type of shellfish that has a rough shell with two parts and that is eaten both cooked and raw

OYSTER Defined for Kids

oyster

play

noun oys·ter \ ˈȯi-stər \

Definition of oyster for Students

:a shellfish that lives on stony bottoms ( oyster beds ) in shallow seawater, has a rough grayish shell made up of two hinged parts, and is often used for food

Learn More about oyster

See words that rhyme with oyster Spanish Central: Translation of oyster Nglish: Translation of oyster for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oyster for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oyster

Seen and Heard

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

show

oyster

Definition of oyster

Recent Examples of oyster from the Web

Origin and Etymology of oyster

OYSTER Defined for English Language Learners

oyster

Definition of oyster for English Language Learners

OYSTER Defined for Kids

oyster

Definition of oyster for Students

Learn More about oyster

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

holus-bolus

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

Silent Letters

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

"Immune to" or "Immune from"?

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

Trending: Ivanka: "An 'Otherwise' Incredible Day"

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes

Words of the Year: 1066

oyster

Definition of oyster

Explore M-W

Recent Examples of oyster from the Web

Origin and Etymology of oyster

Phrases Related to OYSTER

Related Phrases

OYSTER Defined for English Language Learners

oyster

Definition of oyster for English Language Learners

OYSTER Defined for Kids

oyster

Definition of oyster for Students

Learn More about oyster

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

Trending: Ivanka: "An 'Otherwise' Incredible Day"

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes

Words of the Year: 1066