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Mollusks: meaning, definitions and examples

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mollusks

 

[ ˈmɒləsk ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

sea creatures

Mollusks are soft-bodied invertebrates that are commonly found in marine environments. They typically have a hard shell to protect their delicate bodies. Mollusks include a wide variety of species such as clams, snails, and octopuses.

Synonyms

bivalves, cephalopods, shellfish.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
mollusks

Used in general scientific discussions to refer to the entire phylum of soft-bodied animals often with a hard shell, including snails, slugs, bivalves, and cephalopods.

  • Marine biologists study mollusks to understand more about underwater ecosystems.
  • Mollusks have been present on Earth for over 500 million years.
shellfish

Commonly used in culinary contexts to refer to edible marine mollusks and crustaceans, such as oysters, clams, and lobsters.

  • Allergic reactions to shellfish can be serious for some people.
  • He loves to eat shellfish, especially shrimp and oysters.
cephalopods

Used when talking about a class of mollusks that includes octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish, often in scientific or culinary discussions.

  • Cephalopods are known for their intelligence and ability to change color.
  • Squid and octopus are popular cephalopods in many seafood dishes.
bivalves

Specifically refers to mollusks that have a hinged shell with two parts, commonly discussed in marine biology and seafood contexts.

  • Bivalves like clams and oysters filter water to feed.
  • The fisherman caught several bivalves in the shallow waters.

Examples of usage

  • The beach was covered with colorful mollusk shells.
  • She studied the anatomy of mollusks in her marine biology class.

Translations

Translations of the word "mollusks" in other languages:

🇵🇹 moluscos

🇮🇳 मोलस्क

🇩🇪 Weichtiere

🇮🇩 moluska

🇺🇦 молюски

🇵🇱 mięczaki

🇯🇵 軟体動物 (なんたいどうぶつ)

🇫🇷 mollusques

🇪🇸 moluscos

🇹🇷 yumuşakçalar

🇰🇷 연체동물 (yeonche dongmul)

🇸🇦 الرخويات

🇨🇿 měkkýši

🇸🇰 mäkkýše

🇨🇳 软体动物 (ruǎntǐ dòngwù)

🇸🇮 mehkužci

🇮🇸 lindýr

🇰🇿 моллюсктар

🇬🇪 მოლუსკები

🇦🇿 molüsklər

🇲🇽 moluscos

Etymology

The word 'mollusk' comes from the French word 'mollusque', which is derived from the Latin word 'molluscus', meaning 'soft'. The term was first used in the 18th century to describe this group of invertebrate animals with soft bodies and hard shells.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,893, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.