oyster

noun

oys·​ter ˈȯi-stər How to pronounce oyster (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: any of various marine bivalve mollusks (family Ostreidae) that have a rough irregular shell closed by a single adductor muscle and include commercially important shellfish
b
: any of various mollusks resembling or related to the oysters
2
: something that is or can be readily made to serve one's personal ends
the world was her oyster
3
: a small mass of muscle contained in a concavity of the pelvic bone on each side of the back of a fowl
4
: an extremely taciturn person
5
: a grayish-white color

Examples of oyster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Recent menus featured cauliflower with California White Sturgeon caviar and wild foraged greens and a seafood tower with Foxley River oysters, Bay scallops, and Dungeness crab dip. Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 Pair it with jeans, trousers, leggings — really, the options are endless and the world is your oyster. Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2024 The menu runs as old school as the venue: oysters, shrimp cocktail, poached salmon, roast chicken, seafood salad, steak and cheesecake, all served smartly on crisp white tablecloths and swiftly enough that diners are more or less finished by 8:45, when the show starts. Reggie Nadelson, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Attendees will be treated to seafood and a special oyster bar by the Boiling Crab, along with fresh options by Greenleaf. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2024 The business hosts over 40 food and drink vendors, from ramen to an oyster bar, and hosts interactive businesses like a Topgolf Swing Suite, a virtual version of the popular business, and pinball games. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 The sensors’ precision, however, is rivaled by the oysters, clams, and mussels themselves, which are both more sensitive and much longer-lasting than traditional technology for sampling contaminants in water. John Koetsier, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Seafood entrees are on the menu, along with oysters, salads and sharables. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 28 Feb. 2024 Cask also has a weekly special on oysters, which cost $1.25 every Thursday. Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oyster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oistre, borrowed from Anglo-French oistre, ostre, going back to Latin ostrea, ostreum "bivalve mollusk, oyster," borrowed from Greek óstreion, óstreon, of uncertain origin

Note: Greek óstreion has traditionally been taken to be a derivative, with a suffix -ei-, of a stem going back to Indo-European *h3esth1-r-, from the base *h3esth1- "bone." See note at ostracon.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of oyster was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near oyster

Cite this Entry

“Oyster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oyster. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

oyster

noun
oys·​ter ˈȯi-stər How to pronounce oyster (audio)
: any of various marine mollusks that include important edible shellfish and have a rough uneven shell made up of two hinged parts and closed by a single muscle

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