Meanings
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1
noun
a mollusc of the class Bivalvia whose body is enclosed by two hinged shell valves, such as a clam, mussel, oyster, or scallop
The scallop is a mobile bivalve that can swim by rapidly opening and closing its shell.
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2
adj
having a shell, seedcase, or other structure made of two hinged or separable valves
The specimen had a bivalve shell with two nearly equal halves.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Formed from bi-, 'two,' + valve, from Latin valva, 'leaf of a folding door.' The two parts of a mollusc shell were compared to paired door leaves joined by a hinge.