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
These chemicals fuel microbes that support animals such as clams, mussels, tube worms and more.
—
Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Jeremy’s savory dishes are composed and confident; standouts have included a vibrant duck salad, delicate waloo crudo, mussels escabeche and expertly prepared American red snapper.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
The golden mussel is a serious threat, and officials say most boat owners seem to understand that and accept the new restrictions.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
In doing so the mussels eliminate the base of the lake food chain, the sustenance for young and small fish.
—Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mussel
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Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Jeremy’s savory dishes are composed and confident; standouts have included a vibrant duck salad, delicate waloo crudo, mussels escabeche and expertly prepared American red snapper.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
The golden mussel is a serious threat, and officials say most boat owners seem to understand that and accept the new restrictions.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
In doing so the mussels eliminate the base of the lake food chain, the sustenance for young and small fish.
—Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mussel
Cite this Entry
“Mussel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mussel. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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