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univalve

[ yoo-nuh-valv ]
/ ˈyu nəˌvælv /
|

adjective Also u·ni·valved, u·ni·val·vu·lar [yoo-nuh-val-vyuh-ler] /ˌyu nəˈvæl vyə lər/.

having one valve.
(of a shell) composed of a single valve or piece.

noun

a univalve mollusk or its shell.

Nearby words

unity ticket, univ, univ., univalence, univalent, univalve, univariate, universal, universal affirmative, universal beam, universal chuck

Origin of univalve

First recorded in 1655–65; uni- + valve
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for univalve

British Dictionary definitions for univalve

univalve

/ (ˈjuːnɪˌvælv) zoology /

adjective

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

noun

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

Word Origin and History for univalve

univalve

1660s (noun and adjective), from uni- + valve.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Science definitions for univalve

univalve

[ yōō′nĭ-vălv′ ]

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. Compare bivalve.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.