Mussel
//ˈmʌsəl// noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several groups of bivalve shellfish with elongated, asymmetrical shells.; A freshwater mussel, usually edible, of the order Unionida in subclass Palaeoheterodonta.
- 2 marine or freshwater bivalve mollusk that lives attached to rocks etc. wordnet
- 3 Any of several groups of bivalve shellfish with elongated, asymmetrical shells.; A saltwater mussel, usually edible, of the order Mytilida in subclass Pteriomorphia.
- 4 black marine bivalves usually steamed in wine wordnet
- 5 Any of several groups of bivalve shellfish with elongated, asymmetrical shells.; Any of certain other bivalves of somewhat similar appearance, such as the zebra mussel and quagga mussel of the family Dreissenidae in subclass Heterodonta.
Example
More examples"The palace of the Merman King lies in the very deepest part; its walls are of coral and the long pointed windows of the clearest amber, but the roof is made of mussel shells which open and shut with the lapping of the water."
Etymology
From Middle English muscle (“mussel”), from Old English muscle, from Proto-West Germanic *muskulā, from Late Latin muscula, from Latin mūsculus (“mussel, muscle”, literally “little mouse”). Doublet of muscle.
Related phrases
More for "mussel"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.