mussel

[ muhs-uhl ]
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noun
  1. any bivalve mollusk, especially an edible marine bivalve of the family Mytilidae and a freshwater clam of the family Unionidae.

Origin of mussel

1
before 1000; Middle English, Old English muscle<Vulgar Latin *mūscula, variant of Latin mūsculus little mouse, sea mussel. See muscle

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British Dictionary definitions for mussel

mussel

/ (ˈmʌsəl) /


noun
  1. any of various marine bivalves of the genus Mytilus and related genera, esp M. edulis (edible mussel), having a dark slightly elongated shell and living attached to rocks, etc,

  2. any of various freshwater bivalves of the genera Anodonta, Unio, etc, attached to rocks, sand, etc having a flattened oval shell (a source of mother-of-pearl). The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, can be a serious nuisance in water mains

Origin of mussel

1
Old English muscle, from Vulgar Latin muscula (unattested), from Latin musculus, diminutive of mūs mouse

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