abalone

noun

ab·​a·​lo·​ne ˌa-bə-ˈlō-nē  ˈa-bə-ˌlō-nē 

: any of a genus (Haliotis) of edible rock-clinging gastropod mollusks that have a flattened shell slightly spiral in form, lined with mother-of-pearl, and with a row of apertures along its outer edge

Examples of abalone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

California Hit With Another Earthquake California has 42 official state symbols after Governor Gavin Newsom signed three bills to create new symbols in 2024, including the Dungeness crab as the state crustacean, the banana slug as the state slug, and the black abalone as the state seashell. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025

Moy said seafood specialties like lobster, Chilean sea bass and abalone are being shipped in starting next week and in the spotlight as menu highlights during the 15-day new year’s celebration through Feb. 2. —Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025

But Potter said the eight-strand necklace had only inferior abalone pieces. —Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2024

The otters’ most common tool is a rock, which the animals use to crack open abalone shells to get to the tender meat inside. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish abulón, from Rumsen (American Indian language of Monterey Bay, California) aulon

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

abalone

noun

ab·​a·​lo·​ne ˌab-ə-ˈlō-nē  ˈab-ə-ˌ 

: a mollusk with a flattened slightly spiral shell that has holes along the edge and is lined with mother-of-pearl