clamshell C2+ Topic:General Vocabulary US /ˈklæmˌʃɛl/ UK /ˈklæmˌʃɛl/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun the shell of a clam, or a hinged case shaped like one The phone snapped shut with a satisfying clamshell click. Thesaurus Word family Related forms clamshell Etymology AI details A compound of clam + shell. Clam is from Old English clam ('bond, fetter, clamp'), from Proto-Germanic *klam-; shell is from Old English sciell. clam Old English sciell Old English View etymology graph -> Topics General Vocabulary External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # clamshell **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈklæmˌʃɛl/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈklæmˌʃɛl/ ## Meanings 1. the shell of a clam, or a hinged case shaped like one ## Examples - The phone snapped shut with a satisfying clamshell click. ## Related Forms - clam - shell ## Roots and Affixes - Root: clam - Root: sciell ## Etymology A compound of clam + shell. Clam is from Old English clam ('bond, fetter, clamp'), from Proto-Germanic *klam-; shell is from Old English sciell. ## AI Etymology Clamshell is a noun meaning "the shell of a clam, or a hinged case shaped like one". Historically, it is a compound of clam + shell. Clam is from Old English clam ('bond, fetter, clamp'), from Proto-Germanic *klam-; shell is from Old English sciell. The visible construction is part of the etymology: clamshell is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old English clam with Old English sciell. Close English family members include clam, and shell. ## Topics - General Vocabulary markdown