limpet
noun
lim·pet
| \ ˈlim-pət
\
\
Definition of limpet
1
: a marine gastropod mollusk (especially families Acmaeidae and Patellidae) that has a low conical shell broadly open beneath, browses over rocks or timbers in the littoral area, and clings very tightly when disturbed
2
: one that clings tenaciously to someone or something
3
: an explosive device designed to cling magnetically to a metallic surface (such as the hull of a ship)
Illustration of limpet
limpet 1
Examples of limpet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The United States has accused Iran of two attacks in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf, in which magnetic limpet mines exploded against the hulls of foreign tankers in May and June. — Washington Post, "Trump says the U.S. Navy downed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz," 18 July 2019 The Trump administration has blamed Iran for both incidents, at least one of which is said to have been carried out by use of limpet mine similar to devices previously displayed at Iranian military parades. — Washington Post, "Trump ordered attack on Iran for downing drone, then called it off," 22 June 2019 The Trump administration has blamed Iran for both incidents, at least one of which is said to have been carried out by use of limpet mine similar to devices previously displayed at Iranian military parades. — Author: John Hudson, Missy Ryan, Erin Cunningham, Anchorage Daily News, "Trump’s account of planning, then canceling strikes on Iran is facing scrutiny," 21 June 2019 The Trump administration has blamed Iran for both incidents, at least one of which is said to have been carried out by use of limpet mine similar to devices previously displayed at Iranian military parades. — oregonlive.com, "Donald Trump calls off retaliatory missile strike on Iran," 21 June 2019 The Trump administration has blamed Iran for both incidents, at least one of which is said to have been carried out by use of limpet mine similar to devices previously displayed at Iranian military parades. — The Washington Post, The Mercury News, "Trump’s account of Iran strike decision draws scrutiny," 21 June 2019 Those pieces put together have U.S. sailors suspecting the limpet mine came from Iran. — Jon Gambrell, The Denver Post, "U.S. Navy expert says tanker attack mine resembles Iranian mines," 19 June 2019 Pictures of pieces of a limpet mine were released as part of that effort by the U.S. Navy on Tuesday. — Fox News, "Limpet mine used in oil tanker attacks 'bears striking resemblance' to similar Iranian Mines, US Navy says," 19 June 2019 In addition, the Pentagon released video last week that officials said show Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz. — Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, "Pentagon sending 1,000 U.S. troops to Middle East after oil tanker attack," 17 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'limpet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for limpet
limpet
noun
English Language Learners Definition of limpet
: a type of ocean animal that has a shell and that is able to attach itself to things (such as rocks) very tightly
See the full definition for limpet in the English Language Learners Dictionary