bivalve

American  

[bahy-valv] / ˈbaɪˌvælv /

noun

1. Also called lamellibranch.  Zoology. any mollusk, as the oyster, clam, scallop, or mussel, of the class Bivalvia, having two shells hinged together, a soft body, and lamellate gills.

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adjective

1. Botany. having two valves, as a seedcase.

2. Zoology. having two shells, usually united by a hinge.

3. having two similar parts hinged together.

bivalve British  

/ ˈbaɪˌvælv /

noun

1. Also: pelecypod.   lamellibranch.  any marine or freshwater mollusc of the class Pelecypoda (formerly Bivalvia or Lamellibranchia ), having a laterally compressed body, a shell consisting of two hinged valves, and gills for respiration. The group includes clams, cockles, oysters, and mussels

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adjective

1. Also: pelecypod.   lamellibranch.  of, relating to, or belonging to the Pelecypoda

2. Also: bivalvate.  biology having or consisting of two valves or similar parts

   a bivalve seed capsule

bivalve Scientific  

/ bī′vălv′ /

1. Any of various mollusks of the class Bivalvia, having a shell consisting of two halves hinged together. Clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels are bivalves. The class Bivalvia is also called Pelecypoda, and was formerly called Lamellibranchia.

2. Compare univalve

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Other Word Forms

• bivalvular
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of bivalve

First recorded in 1670–80; bi- ¹ + valve

Explanation

A bivalve is a sea creature with two shells, one on top and one underneath, connected by a kind of hinge. Mussels and clams are bivalves; snails and abalone are not. Bivalves are soft on the inside with a very hard, protective shell on the outside. You know you're looking at a bivalve when you see two distinct halves of that shell, which can swing shut like a door when the animal perceives danger. Oysters fall into this category, and so do scallops. Bivalve, literally "two valves," comes from the Latin valva, "section of a folding door."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bivalve

He put the wee bivalve in a petri dish and asked a colleague to set it aside.

From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2024

In full transparency, I am so in love with this species of marine bivalve mollusks — but it didn't start out that way.

From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2024

He also analyzed oxygen isotope levels in the bivalve shells to determine that the holdfasts lived in slightly warmer water than today, at the upper range of temperatures found in modern kelp forests.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 16, 2024

The shells belonged to an assortment of tiny seafloor creatures, including small clams; bivalve crustaceans called ostracods; cone-shaped animals known as hyoliths; and stylophorans, oddly shaped precursors to starfish.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 28, 2023

Having two valves, as the oyster and some seed pods; bivalve.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah