abalone

noun

ab·​a·​lo·​ne ˌa-bə-ˈlō-nē How to pronounce abalone (audio) ˈa-bə-ˌlō-nē How to pronounce abalone (audio)
: any of a genus (Haliotis) of edible rock-clinging gastropod mollusks that have a flattened shell slightly spiral in form, lined with mother-of-pearl, and with a row of apertures along its outer edge

Examples of abalone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Potter said the eight-strand necklace had only inferior abalone pieces. Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2024 The otters’ most common tool is a rock, which the animals use to crack open abalone shells to get to the tender meat inside. Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 June 2024 Here are a few examples: Tracing where Indigenous fisherfolk collected black abalone for over 10,000 years can guide restoration efforts for this endangered species. Todd Braje, The Conversation, 16 May 2024 For one thing, the place serves abalone and curries. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abalone 

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish abulón, from Rumsen (American Indian language of Monterey Bay, California) aulon

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abalone was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near abalone

Cite this Entry

“Abalone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abalone. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

abalone

noun
ab·​a·​lo·​ne ˌab-ə-ˈlō-nē How to pronounce abalone (audio) ˈab-ə-ˌ How to pronounce abalone (audio)
: a mollusk with a flattened slightly spiral shell that has holes along the edge and is lined with mother-of-pearl

More from Merriam-Webster on abalone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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