seashell
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of seashell
before 900; Old English sǣscill (not recorded in Middle English ) see sea, shell
Explanation
Many sea creatures live inside hard, protective cases called seashells. If you find a seashell on the beach, think of it as a tiny abandoned home of a sea creature. You can also call a seashell a shell, although "sea" distinguishes ocean shells from those of freshwater mollusks. If you've ever walked on a beach, you've seen seashells, and maybe even collected some to take home (after checking to make sure no tiny creatures were living inside). Clams, snails, and oysters are all examples of animals that live in seashells. One of the most famous mentions of this word appears in the tongue twister: "She sells seashells by the seashore." Try saying that ten times, fast!
Vocabulary lists containing seashell
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
US Secret Service agents interviewed Comey last May about the seashell photo.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
Fans of the original animated movie will recognize the scene of a young Moana playing with the ocean after seeing a seashell on the shore.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025
On the store’s second floor, find the Sea & Shore Museum, which claims to be the world’s second-largest private seashell collection.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2023
Each nodule starts as a little fragment, perhaps a shark's tooth or a piece of seashell.
From Scientific American • Aug. 15, 2023
I kneel and pick up a seashell fragment.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
