pholas

noun

pho·​las

ˈfōləs

1

capitalized : a large genus of bivalve usually marine mollusks (family Pholadidae) with an elongate-oval rough shell having no hinge ligament, gaping at the end, and having two accessory valves to protect the dorsal margin that with the foot serves as a rasp to bore in wood and stone

2

plural pholades

-ləˌdēz

: any mollusk of the genus Pholas or of the family Pholadidae : piddock

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek phōlas stone-boring mollusk, literally, lying in a hole; akin to Greek phylē tribe, clan

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