noun
seashell
SEE-shehl
noun
1
The hard outer shell of a sea creature such as a clam, snail, or mussel, especially one found washed up on a beach.
"The children spent the afternoon collecting seashells along the shore."
"She strung the tiny seashells into a bracelet."
How to Use Seashell
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA shell from a sea creature, usually one picked up on the beach.
Common pairings
collect seashells
a seashell necklace
Word Forms
seashelled past tense, seashells plural, seashells singular
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The children spent the afternoon collecting _____ along the shore.
Etymology
Simply "sea" plus "shell" — the shell part traces back through Old English scell to a very old root meaning "to split" or "peel," since shells split away from the creature inside.