cherrystone

[cher-ee-stohn]

noun

1. the one-seeded smooth stone of the cherry.

2. the quahog, Venus mercenaria, when larger than a littleneck.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cherrystone¹

First recorded in 1300–50, cherrystone is from the Middle English word cheriston. See cherry, stone

Example Sentences

“Mighty blocks of ice, gripped between meeting floes, rose slowly until they jumped like cherrystones squeezed between thumb and finger,” Shackleton wrote.

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New Haven custom also demands raw garlic; in Sheepshead Bay the garlic is poached in olive oil until golden, then simmered quickly with chopped fresh cherrystones, white wine and butter.

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The fluke and cherrystone clam ceviche on the tasting menu can be yours even if all you want is a single taste from the kitchen.

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Littleneck clams are what you want, or slightly larger cherrystones, if you’re on the East Coast.

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Not the “stuffies,” baked stuffed littlenecks or cherrystones that could use more clam.

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Related Words

• mollusk