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univalve

American  
[yoo-nuh-valv] / ˈju nəˌvælv /

adjective

  1. having one valve.

  2. (of a shell) composed of a single valve or piece.


noun

  1. a univalve mollusk or its shell.

univalve British  
/ ˈjuːnɪˌvælv /

adjective

  1. relating to, designating, or possessing a mollusc shell that consists of a single piece (valve)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a gastropod mollusc or its shell

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
univalve Scientific  
/ yo̅o̅′nĭ-vălv′ /
  1. A gastropod, especially one with a single shell, such as a snail, cone, whelk, abalone, or limpet. Univalves belong to the subclass Prosobranchia. Their shells are usually spiral and can hold the whole animal inside.

  2. Compare bivalve


Etymology

Origin of univalve

First recorded in 1655–65; uni- + valve

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.

See Examples For:

And when the chambered shells, whose occupants were carnivorous, disappeared with the secondary period, numerous univalve mollusks were created to feed on other animals; although previously that family were herbivorous.

From The Religion of Geology and Its Connected Sciences by Edward Hitchcock

Haliotis, hal-i-ō′tis, n. a genus of univalve shells, the ear-shells, supplying mother-of-pearl.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

A name applied to the shells of the Haliotis—a univalve mollusc found clinging like limpets to rocks; very abundant in Guernsey.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher

The mother-of-pearl which lines some shells, both univalve and bivalve.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher

But the limpet is univalve, and has a smooth shell; and the mussel has a united shell.

From The Deipnosophists, or Banquet of the Learned of Athen?us by Athen?us

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