Definition of snail
1 : a gastropod mollusk especially when having an external enclosing spiral shell
2 : a slow-moving or sluggish person or thing
From the M-W Editors
Examples of snail in a Sentence
go and tell the snails in the back to hurry up
Recent Examples of snail from the Web
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With these predators gone, the snail population exploded.
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Among the best offerings is the Escargot appetizer ($14), a marrow bone split lengthwise, roasted with an aromatic parsley sauce, then topped with large ebony snails in a wine-rich glaze.
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Seashell workshop For ages 7-12, discover predatory sea snails and make a craft.
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The case against Brunner has moved through the court system at a snail's pace, with numerous delays resulting from Brunner's many health issues, which have not been detailed in court.
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Teams will compete using at least one of the following ingredients: crawfish, shrimp, crab, fish, oyster, snails, frog legs, alligator or turtle.
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Bleu Bohème: Foie gras au torchon The ever-popular French delicacy of Burgundy snails (escargot) comes served in a cassoulet with Mexican shrimp and creamy chicken oysters.
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There are several ongoing studies that range from butterflies and birds to frogs and macroinvertebrates such as snails.
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Abalone — a kind of marine snail — is a seafood delicacy, with ornate, pearly shells used for buttons, jewelry and household decorations.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'snail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of snail
Middle English, from Old English snægl; akin to Old High German snecko snail, snahhan to creep
snail
Definition of snail
intransitive verb
: to move, act, or go slowly or lazily
Examples of snail in a Sentence
the highway construction work created a bottleneck that had cars snailing for the next five miles
First Known Use of snail
1582
SNAIL Defined for English Language Learners
snail
playDefinition of snail for English Language Learners
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: a small animal that lives in a shell that it carries on its back, that moves very slowly, and that can live in water or on land
SNAIL Defined for Kids
snail
playDefinition of snail for Students
: a small slow-moving mollusk that has a spiral shell into which it can draw itself for safety and that can live either on land or in water
Medical Dictionary
snail
playMedical Definition of snail
: any of various gastropod mollusks and especially those having an external enclosing spiral shell including some which are important in medicine as intermediate hosts of trematodes
Learn More about snail
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See words that rhyme with snail Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for snail Spanish Central: Translation of snail Nglish: Translation of snail for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of snail for Arabic speakers
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