oyster

noun

oys·​ter ˈȯi-stər 

often attributive

1

a

: any of various marine bivalve mollusks (family Ostreidae) that have a rough irregular shell closed by a single adductor muscle and include commercially important shellfish

b

: any of various mollusks resembling or related to the oysters

2

: something that is or can be readily made to serve one's personal ends

the world was her oyster

3

: a small mass of muscle contained in a concavity of the pelvic bone on each side of the back of a fowl

4

: an extremely taciturn person

5

: a grayish-white color

Examples of oyster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Decoupage oyster shells for coffee table decor, and don't forget to display your favorite fishing tools in a wall collage among photos from your most memorable voyages. —Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024

From the sushi bar find sashimi, oysters and inventive maki such as unagi with mascarpone or the classic honey walnut shrimp as a tempura roll. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024

On the main floor, enjoy some live jazz or folk music at the bar with oysters and cocktails. —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Dec. 2024

Bar Pez, another fairly new venue, has quickly built a name for seafood and wine pairings, especially Chablis and oysters from Connemara, Carlingford, Clare, and Kilcoganfrom. —Paul Caputo, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oistre, borrowed from Anglo-French oistre, ostre, going back to Latin ostrea, ostreum "bivalve mollusk, oyster," borrowed from Greek óstreion, óstreon, of uncertain origin

Note: Greek óstreion has traditionally been taken to be a derivative, with a suffix -ei-, of a stem going back to Indo-European *h₃esth₁-r-, from the base *h₃esth₁- "bone." See note at ostracon.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing oyster

• European flat oyster
• European oyster
• Olympia oyster
• oyster bed
• oyster crab
• oyster cracker
• oyster drill
• oyster mushroom
• oyster plant
• seed oyster
• the world is someone's oyster
• vegetable oyster

Kids Definition

oyster

noun

oys·​ter ˈȯi-stər 

: any of various marine mollusks that include important edible shellfish and have a rough uneven shell made up of two hinged parts and closed by a single muscle