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
There are eight appetizers for $10 each, including lobster bisque, meatballs, black mussels and a Caesar salad.
—
Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Appetizers include brisket sausage, lobster bisque and Prince Edward Island mussels.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Precedent for this idea comes from Poland, where many cities already use freshwater mussels as living sentinels of water quality, wired with sensors that register when the animals clamp their shells shut in response to pollutants.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2026
Canned shellfish like clams, mussels and oysters are some of the highest in absorbable iron and are also high in protein.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mussel
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Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Appetizers include brisket sausage, lobster bisque and Prince Edward Island mussels.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Precedent for this idea comes from Poland, where many cities already use freshwater mussels as living sentinels of water quality, wired with sensors that register when the animals clamp their shells shut in response to pollutants.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2026
Canned shellfish like clams, mussels and oysters are some of the highest in absorbable iron and are also high in protein.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 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 6 Apr. 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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