: any of a class (Bivalvia synonym Pelecypoda) of typically marine mollusks (such as clams, oysters, or scallops) that have a 2-valved hinged shell, are usually filter feeders, and lack a distinct head
Examples of bivalve in a Sentence
Noun
clams, mussels, oysters, and other bivalves
Recent Examples on the Web
BostonGlobe.com, 10 Oct. 2019
Deep-sea wood borers (Xylophaga, a genus of bivalve mollusks) take over where shallow water gribbles and shipworms left off.
—Brian Payton, Smithsonian, 9 Feb. 2018
Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
However, the bivalve shells are not what is giving the track this regal hue.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for bivalve 
Adjective
The town’s big, bivalve-themed bash, Wellfleet Oyster Fest, happens annually on the weekend after Columbus Day (Oct. 19 and 20 this year) along Main Street.
—BostonGlobe.com, 10 Oct. 2019
Deep-sea wood borers (Xylophaga, a genus of bivalve mollusks) take over where shallow water gribbles and shipworms left off.
—Brian Payton, Smithsonian, 9 Feb. 2018
Noun
The nutty-tasting bivalves are among the best in the world, farmed by a family that’s been in the oyster business since 1898.
—Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
However, the bivalve shells are not what is giving the track this regal hue.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for bivalve
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bivalve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near bivalve
Cite this Entry
“Bivalve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bivalve. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bivalve
1 of 2 adjective
bi·valve
ˈbī-ˌvalv 
: having or being a shell composed of two movable valves
a bivalve mollusk
bivalve
2 of 2 noun
: any of a class of typically marine mollusks (as clams, oysters, and scallops) that have a shell made up of two parts joined by a hinge, are usually filter feeders, and lack a distinct head
Medical Definition
bivalve
2 of 2 transitive verb
bivalved; bivalving
: to split (a cast) along one or two sides (as to relieve pressure)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share