Noun (2)
it must take a whole lot of clams to buy a car like that
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For dinner, seafood is certainly on the menu with options ranging from linguini and clams to shrimp and grits to jumbo lump crab cakes.—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2024 Yet previous measurements of these clams’ photosynthetic efficiency in the wild had put it even higher, at more than 60 percent.—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2024 Order some rosé, linguine with clams, and watch the sunset.—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 19 July 2024 Here’s what experts had to say about PSP and how to stay safe while enjoying oysters, clams, and shellfish this summer.—Julia Landwehr, Health, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for clam
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clam.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English clamm bond, fetter; akin to Old High German klamma constriction and perhaps to Latin glomus ball
Noun (2)
clam entry 1; from the clamping action of the shells
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Share