quahog

Or qua·haug

[kwaw-hawg, -hog, kwoh-, koh-, kwuh-hawg, -hog]

noun

1. an edible clam, Venus (sometimesMercenaria ) mercenaria, inhabiting waters along the Atlantic coast, having a relatively thick shell.

quahog

/ ˈkoʊˌhɒɡ /

noun

1. Also called: hard-shell clam.  hard-shell.  round clam. an edible clam, Venus (or Mercenaria ) mercenaria, native to the Atlantic coast of North America, having a large heavy rounded shell Compare soft-shell clam

Word History and Origins

Origin of quahog¹

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; from Narragansett ( English spelling) poquaûhock

Word History and Origins

Origin of quahog¹

C18: from Narraganset, short for poquauhock, from pohkeni dark + hogki shell

Example Sentences

And the ocean quahog, a type of clam that can live more than 500 years, making it the longest living animal, is predicted to struggle.

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There was a peak in the harvest of quahogs in the 1950s before the dredging of the clams was banned.

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Then he stumbled upon something that stunned him: a seemingly centuries-old quahog clam.

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Still others, such as my beloved quahogs, have evolved ways to keep muscles strong and hearts beating for centuries.

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They occupied a land of plenty, hunting deer, elk and bear in the forests, fishing for herring and trout, and harvesting quahogs — clams — in the rivers and bays.

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Related Words

• mollusk