byssus
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈbɪsəs/
- Specialized
- Researchers are studying byssus to develop better underwater adhesives inspired by nature.
- byssus threads
- byssus of mussels
Examples
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As these molluscs typically burrow into the sand and anchor themselves to the substrate by strong byssus threads, it was really weird to see one lying out in the open.
Blog text (8) -
My legs wrapped in a byssus bedcover, shielding my head and back with a metal tub that cramped me horribly, I managed to reach the stables.
Fiction book (1994) -
There is only one byssus master artisan left in the world, in Sardinia, and she has confirmed that the veil is made of mussel silk. This is a lovely article on Chiara Vigo and her mastery of this sea silk, and the ancient "sea oath" that she took.
Blog text (23) -
Mussels use byssus threads to attach themselves securely to rocks and other surfaces in the ocean.
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The byssus produced by mussels is remarkably strong and allows them to stay anchored even in strong currents.
Synonyms
3
8.3
A tuft of thin threads on some animals or plants
Surface Forms
Etymology
Byssus comes from the old Greek word byssos, which meant 'fine linen' or 'silk' because the threads looked soft and shiny like cloth. That's why byssus now means the strong, silky threads some mussels make to attach themselves to rocks.