jackknife clam
- noun
- /ˈdʒæknaɪf klæm/
- US
:
almeja cuchillo
- The long, slender shell of the jackknife clam makes it easy to identify among other clams.
Examples
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The jackknife clam burrows quickly into wet sand when disturbed by beachcombers.
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Fishermen often dig for jackknife clams at low tide along the shore.
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We found a beautiful jackknife clam on the beach.
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The jackknife clam is a popular delicacy in coastal regions.
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Fishermen often dig for jackknife clams at low tide along the shore.
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The jackknife clam burrows quickly into wet sand when disturbed by beachcombers.
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The long, slender shell of the jackknife clam makes it easy to identify among other clams.
Synonyms
A small sea clam with a long narrow curved shell like the handle of a knife
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound name describes a clam whose shell resembles a jackknife: combining 'jackknife' (a folding knife) with 'clam' gives a straightforward shape-based descriptor. This kind of descriptive, form-based compound is cross-linguistically common and should be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
The noun jackknife clam gets its name from its long, thin shell that looks like a closed pocketknife, a jackknife. Because the clam digs quickly into the sand and can snap shut like a folding knife, the name helps you picture its shape and fast movement.
