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Definition of oyster
1a : any of various marine bivalve mollusks (family Ostreidae) that have a rough irregular shell closed by a single adductor muscle and include commercially important shellfishb : 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
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Recent Examples of oyster from the Web
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Crispy avocado samosas, oysters on the half shell, and tater-tots smothered with cheddar cheese.
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The fourth pilot will further the port’s aquaculture ambitions to grow oysters in the bay.
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The menu also includes calamari, oyster, shrimp and fish tempuras, swordfish burgers, tacos, classic shrimp cocktails, Newport clam chowder, ahi poke (a Hawaiian fish salad), Lomi Lomi salmon poke and more.
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Some have questioned its impact on bay life, including shrimp and oysters, while others have blamed the channel and the Corps' handling of dredge spoil for erosion of Dauphin Island's beaches.
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The khao poon is a fiery Lao-style curry tamed by peanuts, while the noodle fave kuai tiao is homey Thai all the way: noodles, crispy garlic, oyster sauce, and chili jam.
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Some craft brewers have indeed tested the limits of what may reasonably be called a beer (now liable to include avocados or oysters).
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Healthy marshes and oyster and coral reefs provide some of the best habitats for fish throughout much of their life cycle.
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For those looking for items from the Gulf of Mexico, Big Mike's offers several seafood selections including oysters.
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
OYSTER Defined for English Language Learners
oyster
playDefinition of oyster for English Language Learners
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: 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
playDefinition 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
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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
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