abalone
[ab-uh-loh-nee]
- a large mollusk of the genus Haliotis, having a bowllike shell bearing a row of respiratory holes, the flesh of which is used for food and the shell for ornament and as a source of mother-of-pearl.
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Origin of abalone
1840–50, Americanism; taken as singular of California Spanish abulones, plural of abulón, aulón < a word in Rumsen, a Costanoan language formerly spoken at Monterey, California
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for abalone
Contemporary Examples
In California, tourists have been pitted against career foragers, causing problems for wild mushrooms and abalone.
Historical Examples
The body of the abalone is a mass of muscle that has tremendous strength.
Bert Wilson's Twin Cylinder RacerJ. W. Duffield
The Haliotis or abalone was also used and was called uhl-lo.
I'll leave them here for you—and there's plenty of turtle and abalone to be had for the catching.
Moran of the Lady LettyFrank Norris
But the abalone—as a Christian comestible he is a stranger to me and the tooth o' me.
The Letters of Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce
Not another one of us was ever caught in the closing shell of an abalone.
Before AdamJack London
abalone
- any of various edible marine gastropod molluscs of the genus Haliotis, having an ear-shaped shell that is perforated with a row of respiratory holes. The shells are used for ornament or decorationAlso called: ear shell See also ormer
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Word Origin
C19: from American Spanish abulón; origin unknown
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for abalone
n.
type of marine shell, 1850, American English, from Spanish abulon from Costanoan (a California coastal Indian language family) aluan "red abalone."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper