Illustration of scallop
- scallop 2a
1
a
: any of numerous marine bivalve lamellibranch mollusks (family Pectinidae) that have a radially ribbed shell with the edge undulated and that swim by opening and closing the valves
b
: the adductor muscle of a scallop as an article of food
2
a
: a valve or shell of a scallop
b
: a baking dish shaped like a valve of a scallop
3
: one of a continuous series of circle segments or angular projections forming a border (as on cloth or metal)
4
: pattypan
5
[French escalope, probably from Middle French, shell]
: a thin slice of boneless meat or fish
veal scallops
called also escalope
variants
or less commonly scollop
scalloped also scolloped; scalloping also scolloping; scallops also scollops
1
a
: to shape, cut, or finish in scallops
b
: to form scallops in
2
[from the use of a scallop shell as a baking dish]
: to bake in a sauce usually covered with seasoned bread or cracker crumbs
scalloped potatoes
: to gather or dredge scallops
Examples of scallop in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Then arrives a fleet of six small dishes, including translucent sea bass with delicate-purple flowers, a three-tuna tartare with salmon roe and Hokkaido scallop, and warm-and-crunchy maitake mushrooms with monkfish-liver sauce.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
Mary Lebus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Dec. 2025
The durable pieces, which come in 16 colors, have scalloped, upturned handles for a better grip and are safe for use in the oven, broiler, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scallop
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Noun
But by no means dismiss his interpretations of continental cuisine, like the pan-seared gnocchi with white truffle and mushrooms or the scallops with saffron risotto.
—Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Then arrives a fleet of six small dishes, including translucent sea bass with delicate-purple flowers, a three-tuna tartare with salmon roe and Hokkaido scallop, and warm-and-crunchy maitake mushrooms with monkfish-liver sauce.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
Verb
Sushi, ceviche, tuna tartare tacos and scallops crudo offer modern takes on local seafood.
—Mary Lebus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Dec. 2025
The durable pieces, which come in 16 colors, have scalloped, upturned handles for a better grip and are safe for use in the oven, broiler, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher.
—Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scallop
Cite this Entry
“Scallop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scallop. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scallop
2 of 2 verb1
: to bake in a sauce usually covered with seasoned bread or cracker crumbs
scalloped potatoes
2
: to shape, cut, or make an edge in scallops
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