whelk
2
9.0
- noun
- /wɛlk/
:
buccino
- Using millions of oyster and whelk shells, Precolumbian Indians had constructed tall, steep-sided mounds, ramps, and causeways.
- dog whelk
- whelk shell
- sea whelk
Examples
-
Instead, he recalled something he hadn't thought about in years: a childhood vacation on Sanibel Island, where he and his brothers had spent feverishly collecting the best whelks, scallops, and periwinkles, the rare ones with the live creatures still in them.
Fiction book (1994) -
I tossed the pad back among the scattered whelks.
Fiction book (1997) -
The apparently healthy rock lobsters were quickly overwhelmed by large numbers of whelks.
Academic text (1995) -
Knobbed whelks are found off the east coast of the U.S. from Massachusetts to northern Florida.
Blog text (17) -
The meat of the whelk (and that of the conch) is known as scungilli.
Blog text (17) -
In the absence of lobsters as the usual top predator, extensive mussel beds have become established, and the population density of whelks has soared.
Academic text (1995) -
The chef prepared a delicious dish using whelk and fresh herbs.
-
During low tide, we found many whelks nestled among the rocks.
-
Some people enjoy eating whelk as a seafood delicacy in coastal restaurants.
Synonyms
A large sea snail with a thick spiral shell
A small sea creature with a spiral shell that moves slowly
How Big
Surface Forms
Etymology
Whelk probably comes from old words meaning 'to turn' or 'to twist', because its shell grows in a tight spiral. A helpful way to remember it is to picture the coiled shell of this sea snail, which is often found on beaches and is sometimes eaten.