mussel

noun

mus·​sel ˈmə-səl 

1

: a marine bivalve mollusk (especially genus Mytilus) usually having a dark elongated shell

2

: a freshwater bivalve mollusk (as of Unio, Anodonta, or related genera) that is especially abundant in rivers of the central U.S. and has a shell lined with mother-of-pearl

Examples of mussel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Frog & Slim 1420 16th St., Suite 300, Sacramento Frog & Slim’s dinner menu includes dishes such as golden beet salad, king salmon and mussel and shrimp piccata pasta, with bread pudding for dessert. —Kendrick Marshall, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025

His contemporary creations celebrate the essence of Asturian cuisine, with standout dishes like tuna tartare with pistachio and caviar, grilled squid noodles with ham consommé, and Cantabrian sea bream in a mussel and fennel beurre blanc. —Jenn Rice, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025

But mussels seem to have no problem with this, aggressively attaching themselves to rocks and ship hulls. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 26 Feb. 2025

The Frog & Slim dinner menu, curated by executive chef Christian Viau, includes dishes such as Kobe beef carpaccio, golden beet salad, king salmon, mussel and shrimp piccata pasta and bread pudding. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muscle, from Old English muscelle, from Vulgar Latin *muscula, from Latin musculus muscle, mussel

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mussel

• blue mussel
• quagga mussel
• zebra mussel

Rhymes for mussel

• bustle
• hustle
• muscle
• russel
• rustle
• trussell
• tussle
• mofussil

Kids Definition

mussel

noun

mus·​sel ˈməs-əl 

1

: any of various edible saltwater mollusks with a long dark hinged double shell

2

: any of numerous freshwater mollusks of rivers of the central U.S. whose hinged double shells are lined with mother-of-pearl