Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

top shell

noun

Definition of top shell 

1 : any of various marine snails constituting the family Trochidae and having a spiral and usually regularly conical shell marked by a flat base and rhombic aperture and a multispiral operculum and sometimes used to make pearl buttons

2 : turban shell

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Learn More about top shell

Dictionary Entries near top shell

topset beds

topset onion

top-shelf

top shell

top sickness

topside

Top-Sider

Statistics for top shell

Look-up Popularity

Comments on top shell

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

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

milieu

the setting in which something occurs

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Musical Words Quiz

  • gramophone
  • Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games