bivalve

1 of 2

adjective

bi·​valve ˈbī-ˌvalv How to pronounce bivalve (audio)
: being or having a shell composed of two valves

bivalve

2 of 2

noun

: 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 bivalves
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The town’s big, bivalve-themed bash, Wellfleet Oyster Fest, happens annually on the weekend after Columbus Day (Oct. 19 and 20 this year) along Main Street. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Oct. 2019 Deep-sea wood borers (Xylophaga, a genus of bivalve mollusks) take over where shallow water gribbles and shipworms left off. Brian Payton, Smithsonian, 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, 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, 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, 13 Feb. 2017
Noun
Atlas Oyster House Anchored on Seville Harbour Marina, Atlas Oyster House is an essential stop for local seafood — including bivalves served raw, Rockefeller, or fried. Staff Author Published, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2024 While attendees would typically go in on the bivalves, everyone stayed away from them this time. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024 After the bivalve was linked to dozens of norovirus cases in L.A. County, many have decided to stay away from raw oysters, Eater L.A. reported on Thursday. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024 Purists may shuck and slurp them straight from the shell, but there are a bevvy of delicious ways to capitalize on the possibilities of this versatile bivalve. Coastal Living, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2023 Extinction of freshwater bivalves has been happening since at least 1900 but has only recently begun to be recognized, says Arthur Bogan, a curator at North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. John Fleischman, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 By the end of the last century, experts were already reporting the ‘deaths,’ as far as the bivalves were concerned, of the Monongahela in Pennsylvania, the Pigeon River in Tennessee, and others. John Fleischman, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 Rhode Island’s shellfishers are helping grow the state’s $5 billion blue economy, and the baked bivalve is a signature state dish. Alexa Gagosz, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2023 In case of any bivalve shortages, he’s got a local oyster guy on call. Emma Glassman-Hughes, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bivalve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1661, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1683, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bivalve was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near bivalve

Cite this Entry

“Bivalve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bivalve. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bivalve

1 of 2 adjective
bi·​valve ˈbī-ˌvalv How to pronounce bivalve (audio)
: having or being a shell composed of two movable valves
a bivalve mollusk

bivalve

2 of 2 noun
: any of a class of typically marine mollusks (as clams, oysters, and scallops) that have a shell made up of two parts joined by a hinge, are usually filter feeders, and lack a distinct head

Medical Definition

bivalve

1 of 2 adjective
bi·​valve ˈbī-ˌvalv How to pronounce bivalve (audio)
variants also bivalved
: having or consisting of two corresponding movable pieces suggesting the shells of mollusks
a bivalve speculum
a bivalve cast

bivalve

2 of 2 transitive verb
bivalved; bivalving
: to split (a cast) along one or two sides (as to relieve pressure)

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