bivalve
adjective
bi·valve
| \ ˈbī-ˌvalv
\
\
Definition of bivalve
(Entry 1 of 2)
: being or having a shell composed of two valves
bivalve
nounDefinition of bivalve (Entry 2 of 2)
: any of a class (Bivalvia synonym Pelecypoda) of typically marine mollusks (such as clams, oysters, or scallops) that have a 2-valved hinged shell, are usually filter feeders, and lack a distinct head
Examples of bivalve in a Sentence
Noun
clams, mussels, oysters, and other bivalvesRecent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Deep-sea wood borers (Xylophaga, a genus of bivalve mollusks) take over where shallow water gribbles and shipworms left off. — Brian Payton, Smithsonian, "How Driftwood Reshapes Ecosystems," 9 Feb. 2018 In 2005, the oyster as aphrodisiac got a big boost as many consumer publications reported that bivalve mollusks (which include clams, oysters, mussels and scallops) had been found to have desire-inducing properties. — Alicia Ault, Smithsonian, "Are Oysters an Aphrodisiac?," 13 Feb. 2017 While the lyric connotes cozy relations between the famously fertile shellfish of this bivalve capital, feelings among shellfishermen themselves are decidedly less friendly. — Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, "Claims Over Shellfish Fuel a Battle in the Bay," 30 June 2017 In 2005, the oyster as aphrodisiac got a big boost as many consumer publications reported that bivalve mollusks (which include clams, oysters, mussels and scallops) had been found to have desire-inducing properties. — Alicia Ault, Smithsonian, "Are Oysters an Aphrodisiac?," 13 Feb. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In clams and mussels, where a fatal leukemia-like cancer has been observed in at least 15 different species, the cancer cells jettison themselves into the seawater, where other filter-feeding bivalves pick them up. — Megan Molteni, WIRED, "How a 6,000-Year-Old Dog Cancer Spread Around the World," 1 Aug. 2019 Meanwhile, Stone held court at the oyster bar, prying open bivalves and dousing them in a mist of Ketel One Botanical Cucumber & Mint vodka. — Marni Elyse Katz, BostonGlobe.com, "Gwyneth does Nantucket to promote her brand and Goop pop-up shop," 31 July 2019 Researchers reviewed recent advances inspired by the bivalves, finding that mussel stickiness could have all sorts of applications, including cleaning up oil spills, purifying water, and creating a universal red blood cell. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Mussels’ Sticky Threads Could Inspire Ways to Clean Up Oil Spills, Purify Water and More," 13 July 2019 Cafe Cancale isn’t an oyster bar, per se, but the briny bivalves (six varieties, some rare, featured daily) are a big part of the menu. — Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Cafe Cancale brings a coastal-French breeze to Wicker Park," 20 June 2019 The best consumable bivalves come from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest through much of the year, switching to colder New England and Prince Edward Island, Canada, sources in summer. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Cooking shellfish: Chef Paul Arias shares recipes and tips," 18 June 2019 Only their bivalves – mussels, clams, scallops and oysters – are farmed, primarily in the cold waters of New England and Canada’s Prince Edward Island and in the Pacific Northwest. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Cooking shellfish: Chef Paul Arias shares recipes and tips," 18 June 2019 After collecting the tasty bivalves, the group will return to the plant to learn about processing methods, practice shucking, and taste some premium PEI oysters. — Necee Regis, BostonGlobe.com, "Here, there, and everywhere," 11 June 2019 When summer’s in swing, Grebbestad draws vacationers who gorge on the fattest and most flavorful Nordic bivalves. — National Geographic, "Discover a Swedish seaside town that’s obsessed with oysters," 29 Apr. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bivalve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for bivalve
bivalve
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of bivalve
biology
: a sea animal that has a shell with two movable parts connected by a hinge
See the full definition for bivalve in the English Language Learners Dictionary
bivalve
adjective
bi·valve
| \ ˈbī-ˌvalv
\
\
variants:
also bivalved \ -ˌvalvd
\
\
Medical Definition of bivalve
(Entry 1 of 2)
: having or consisting of two corresponding movable pieces suggesting the shells of mollusks
a bivalve speculum a bivalve cast
bivalve
transitive verb
bivalved;
bivalving
Medical Definition of bivalve (Entry 2 of 2)
: to split (a cast) along one or two sides (as to relieve pressure)
Keep scrolling for more