What does "scallop" mean?
Any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the superfamily Pectinoidea.
Scallop
/ˈskɑləp/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the superfamily Pectinoidea.
- Grammar: scallop is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: armadillo shell, bake, barbecue, baste.
- Useful contrasts: flatten, smooth, straighten.
- Usage evidence: Double scallop curtains are commonly seen in old theaters.
How to use "scallop"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "scallop" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "scallop" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "scallop" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "scallop" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "scallop" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "armadillo shell" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "scallop", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the superfamily Pectinoidea.
- 2 edible marine bivalve having a fluted fan-shaped shell that swim by expelling water from the shell in a series of snapping motions wordnet
- 3 One of a series of curves, forming an edge similar to a scallop shell, especially in knitting and crochet.
"A coral rose, its petals unfolded in scallop around the tight inner bud"
- 4 thin slice of meat (especially veal) usually fried or broiled wordnet
- 5 A fillet of meat, escalope.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 edible muscle of mollusks having fan-shaped shells; served broiled or poached or in salads or cream sauces wordnet
- 7 A battered and deep-fried round potato slice. Australia, Ireland, UK, regional
- 8 one of a series of rounded projections (or the notches between them) formed by curves along an edge (as the edge of a leaf or piece of cloth or the margin of a shell or a shriveled red blood cell observed in a hypertonic solution etc.) wordnet
- 9 A sautéed potato (a shallow-fried round potato slice). UK, rare, regional
- 10 A dish shaped like a scallop shell.
Verb
- 1 To create or form an edge in the shape of a crescent or multiple crescents.
"We can scallop coastlines to make them longer to serve more people."
- 2 shape or cut in scallops wordnet
- 3 To bake in a casserole (gratin), originally in a scallop shell; especially used in form scalloped transitive
"I stewed them, made them into soup, and crowned all my efforts by a grand success in scalloping them, deceiving every one into the belief that they were eating oysters."
- 4 fish for scallops wordnet
- 5 To harvest scallops intransitive
"He has never wanted to live anywhere but the Island, he says, where he can scallop or ice-boat in winter, depending on his mood; hunt bluebills and deer in season; look after his cows and his sheep."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 form scallops in wordnet
- 7 bake in a sauce, milk, etc., often with breadcrumbs on top wordnet
- 8 decorate an edge with scallops wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Double scallop curtains are commonly seen in old theaters."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "scallop"?
Common synonyms include: armadillo shell, bake, barbecue, baste, bivalve, blanch.
How do you use "scallop" in a sentence?
Double scallop curtains are commonly seen in old theaters.
How do you pronounce "scallop"?
Pronounced /ˈskɑləp/.
Etymology
From Old French escalope (“shell”). Doublet of escalope. Related to scale and shell.