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Glite Dictionary
ear-shell

ear-shell

7.9
A large sea snail with a flat, shiny shell eaten as food
  • noun
  • /ˈɪrˌʃɛl/
translation icon : oreja de mar
  • She collected the mother-of-pearl from an ear-shell left on the beach.

Examples

  • The chef prepared a delicious dish with ear-shell.

  • Many restaurants serve ear-shells as a delicacy.

  • Dishes featuring ear-shell are considered a delicacy in many coastal regions.

  • The diver found several ear-shells attached to the rocks near the shore.

  • Dishes featuring ear-shell are considered a delicacy in many coastal regions.

  • The diver found several ear-shells attached to the rocks near the shore.

  • Many restaurants serve ear-shells as a popular delicacy on their menus.

Synonyms

abalone
vsear-shell
5 8.1

A large sea snail with a flat ear-shaped shell and a shiny inside that people eat

is a less common alternative name instead of the usual common term
sea-ear
vsear-shell
  • UK
9.9

A sea snail with a flat ear-shaped shell found near the Channel Islands

is the general edible Haliotis not limited to one region
Haliotis
vsear-shell
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of sea snails called abalones that live on rocky coasts and have shiny inner shells

is the common name used for individual species within that genus

Surface Forms

ear-shell singular
ear-shells plural

Morphology

ear-shell = ear + shell (semi-transparent) = ear + shell

The components 'ear' + 'shell' are literal and recognizable, but the specific referent 'abalone' is a specialized meaning not immediately predictable by all learners.

Etymology

Ear-shell combines ear ('the body part') and shell ('a hard outer part') because the sea animal's shell looks like a small ear and has a shiny inside called mother-of-pearl. So, ear-shell refers to the large edible sea snail often called abalone.