Dictionary.com

shellwork

[ shel-wurk ]
/ ˈʃɛlˌwɜrk /
Save This Word!
noun
decorative work composed of seashells: an elaborate picture frame decorated with shellwork.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of shellwork

First recorded in 1605–15; shell + work

Words nearby shellwork

shell shock, shell-shocked, shell star, shell steak, shell suit, shellwork, shelly, Shelta, shelter, shelter belt, shelter deck
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use shellwork in a sentence

  • They have belts of shellwork slung across their shoulders, and are armed with bows and arrows, and flint-headed spears.

    Grandfather's Chair|Nathaniel Hawthorne

  • Several "waganga," recognizable by their badges of conical shellwork, came boldly forward.

    Five Weeks in a Balloon|Jules Verne

  • He revelled in elaborate combinations of shellwork and impossible foliage.

    Chats on Old Furniture|Arthur Hayden

  • And you hate the very sight of shellwork and cone-frames, and Grecian painting, and all such vanities?

    Husks|Marion Harland
FEEDBACK