mollusk
noun
mol·lusk
| \ ˈmä-ləsk
\
\
variants:
or mollusc
Definition of mollusk
: any of a large phylum (Mollusca) of invertebrate animals (such as snails, clams, or squids) with a soft unsegmented body usually enclosed in a calcareous shell
broadly
: shellfish
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Other Words from mollusk
molluscan
or less commonly molluskan \ mə-ˈlə-skən
, mä- \
adjective
, mä- \
adjective
Examples of mollusk in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The quarter-sized mollusks are smaller than native clams that live in Montana. — USA TODAY, "Barbie, Tupac, scorpions and Red Vines: News from around our 50 states," 19 July 2019 So far, paleontologists have reported the remnants of feathered dinosaurs, ancient birds, snakes, and invertebrates of all kinds—even the washed-up, spiraled shell of an extinct marine mollusk. — Michael Greshko, National Geographic, "Ancient bird foot found in amber has bizarrely long toes," 11 July 2019 According to the Texas Invasive Species Institute, these mollusks reproduce quickly and can wreak considerable damage on an ecosystem. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "An Invasive Species of Giant Snail is Plaguing One Texas Community," 24 July 2019 The mollusks were important to early Andean cultures but are native to the Pacific Ocean, not Lake Titicaca. — Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "Hints of mysterious religion discovered in world’s highest lake," 1 Apr. 2019 The natural pearl, is quite simply, the kind that occurs without any human interference in the water, and is formed organically within the mollusk. — Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, "A Rare Natural Pearl That Once Belonged to a Spanish Princess Is For Sale," 14 May 2019 Ernst Haeckel’s intention was to make the natural forms of elusive organisms accessible to artists, and supply them with a new visual vocabulary of protists, mollusks, trilobites, siphonophores, fungi, and echinoderms. — The New York Review of Books, "Lucy Jakub," 16 Dec. 2018 The elusive mollusks are also prized for their metallic shells that are polished and sold in souvenir shops, reincarnated as jewelry or art. — Amy Louise Bailey, Vogue, "The 7 Dishes You Have to Eat in New Zealand," 25 July 2018 Time your visit to the hour before or after low tide to explore the beach’s tide pools, teeming with starfish, mollusks and hermit crabs. — Rico Gagliano, WSJ, "3 Quick Escapes From Los Angeles," 1 Aug. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mollusk.' 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 mollusk
mollusk
noun
English Language Learners Definition of mollusk
biology
: any one of a large group of animals (such as snails and clams) that have a soft body without a backbone and that usually live in a shell
See the full definition for mollusk in the English Language Learners Dictionary
mollusk
noun
mol·lusk
| \ ˈmä-ləsk
\
\
Kids Definition of mollusk
: an animal (as a clam, snail, or octopus) that lives mostly in water and has a soft body usually enclosed in a shell containing calcium
mollusk
noun
mol·lusk
variants:
or mollusc \ ˈmäl-əsk
\
\
Medical Definition of mollusk
: any invertebrate animal of the phylum Mollusca
Other Words from mollusk
molluscan
also molluskan \ mə-ˈles-kən, mä-
\
adjective
\
adjective
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