oyster
|oys/ter|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˈɔɪstər/
🇬🇧
/ˈɔɪstə/
marine mollusk
Etymology
Etymology Information
'oyster' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'oistre', which came from Latin 'ostrea', meaning 'oyster'.
Historical Evolution
'ostrea' transformed into the Old French word 'oistre', and eventually became the modern English word 'oyster'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'a type of shellfish', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a marine mollusk with a rough, irregular shell, found on the seabed, often eaten as food.
The restaurant served fresh oysters on the half shell.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a person who is silent or uncommunicative.
He was an oyster at the meeting, not saying a word.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/02/18 21:03