oystershell scale

[ oi-ster-shel ]

noun
  1. a scale insect, Lepidosaphes ulmi, having a scale shaped like the shell of an oyster, which infests various deciduous trees and shrubs.

Origin of oystershell scale

1
An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; oyster + shell
  • Also called oyster scale .

Words Nearby oystershell scale

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024