clamshell

noun

clam·​shell ˈklam-ˌshel How to pronounce clamshell (audio)
1
: the shell of a clam
2
a
: a bucket or grapple (as on a dredge) having two hinged jaws
b
: an excavating machine having a clamshell
c
: either of a pair of doors (as in an airplane tail) that open out and away from each other
d
: a hinged container, case, or cover that opens like the shell of a clam

Examples of clamshell 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.
One feature that drivers of the M Competition will especially love is the clamshell lift gate; the top opens up while the bottom portion folds down. Scotty Reiss, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 The zippered clamshell design has two interior mesh compartments for clothes and two smaller mesh pockets that stash my notebooks and batteries. Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 21 Oct. 2024 The volume of 196 pages features 150 illustrations and is housed in a luxury clamshell case and covered in the Loro Piana Tela Sergio fabric, crafted from cotton and linen. Luisa Zargani, WWD, 10 Oct. 2024 Lifting the dramatic, front-hinged clamshell hood, the largest ever draped over a Ferrari, reveals the redheaded engine below. Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clamshell 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clamshell was circa 1520

Dictionary Entries Near clamshell

Cite this Entry

“Clamshell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamshell. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

clamshell

noun
clam·​shell ˈklam-ˌshel How to pronounce clamshell (audio)
: the shell of a clam

More from Merriam-Webster on clamshell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!