oyster

American  

[oi-ster] / ˈɔɪ stər /

noun

1. any of several edible, marine, bivalve mollusks of the family Ostreidae, having an irregularly shaped shell, occurring on the bottom or adhering to rocks or other objects in shallow water.

2. the oyster-shaped bit of dark meat in the front hollow of the side bone of a fowl.

3. Slang. a closemouthed or uncommunicative person, especially one who keeps secrets well.

4. something from which a person may extract or derive advantage.

   The world is my oyster.

5. oyster white.

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verb (used without object)

1. to dredge for or otherwise take oysters.

oyster British  

/ ˈɔɪstə /

noun

1. 1. any edible marine bivalve mollusc of the genus Ostrea, having a rough irregularly shaped shell and occurring on the sea bed, mostly in coastal waters

   2. ( as modifier )

      oyster farm

      oyster knife

2. any of various similar and related molluscs, such as the pearl oyster and the saddle oyster ( Anomia ephippium )

3. the oyster-shaped piece of dark meat in the hollow of the pelvic bone of a fowl

4. something from which advantage, delight, profit, etc, may be derived

   the world is his oyster

5. informal a very uncommunicative person

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verb

1. (intr) to dredge for, gather, or raise oysters

oyster Idioms  

1. see world is one's oyster.

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Etymology

Origin of oyster

1325–75; Middle English oistre < Middle French < Latin ostrea < Greek óstreon; ostracize

Example Sentences

His debut ad felt like an Aquaman trailer, the veteran and oyster farmer’s basso profondo voice overlaying scenes of him in wet suits, splitting wood, piloting a boat, flying the flag, swinging a kettlebell.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jack had told her that sometimes, once in a lifetime or so, a coconut could make a pearl just the same way an oyster did, but Nim had never thought she’d see one.

From Literature

Tomas Francis may be relishing a rugby life in France full of oysters and champagne but the prop insists it "means everything" to represent Wales again.

From Barron's

Maybe it’s fresh oysters — something you’d never casually eat at home.

From Salon

Brady ran like was lugging two bushels of oysters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• clam
• conch
• crawfish
• crustacean
• lobster
• mollusk
• mussel
• prawn
• scallop
• shrimp
• snail