bivalve

/'baivælv/

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Word: Bivalve

Definition: A "bivalve" is a type of animal, specifically a mollusk, that has two shells. These shells are hinged together, meaning they can open and close. Common examples of bivalves include clams, oysters, and mussels.

Usage Instructions:

• As a Noun: You can use "bivalve" to refer to the animal itself.
• As an Adjective: You can describe something related to or characteristic of these animals using "bivalve."

Examples:

1. Noun: "The beach was full of bivalves like clams and oysters."
2. Adjective: "Bivalve animals are important for the ecosystem because they filter water."

Advanced Usage:

In scientific contexts, you might encounter phrases like "bivalve mollusks" when discussing their biological classification or their role in marine ecosystems.

Word Variants:

• Bivalve (noun): Referring to the animal.
• Bivalve (adjective): Describing something related to bivalves.

Different Meaning:

While "bivalve" primarily refers to these shellfish, in a broader sense, it can also refer to anything that is made up of two parts that are hinged or connected, but this usage is less common.

Synonyms:

• Shellfish (in a broader context)
• Mollusk (more general category of animals)
• Clam (specific type of bivalve)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There are no commonly used idioms or phrasal verbs specifically using "bivalve." However, you might hear phrases like "to shell something" in a cooking context, which refers to removing the shell from bivalves like clams or oysters.

Summary:

"Bivalve" is a noun and adjective that describes a group of marine animals with two shells.

Academic

Adjective

1. used of mollusks having two shells (as clams etc.)

Noun

1. marine or freshwater mollusks having a soft body with platelike gills enclosed within two shells hinged together

Synonyms

• bivalved
• pelecypod
• lamellibranch