oyster

oyster
    n 1: marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on
         the sea bed mostly in coastal waters
    2: edible body of any of numerous oysters [syn: {huitre},
       {oyster}]
    3: a small muscle on each side of the back of a fowl
    v 1: gather oysters, dig oysters
    

Oyster \Oys"ter\ (ois"t[~e]r), n. [OF. oistre, F. hu[^i]tre, L.
   ostrea, ostreum, Gr. 'o`streon; prob. akin to 'ostre`on bone,
   the oyster being so named from its shell. Cf. {Osseous},
   {Ostracize}.]
   1. (Zool.) Any marine bivalve mollusk of the genus Ostrea.
      They are usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed
      objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in
      brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The common European
      oyster ({Ostrea edulis}), and the American oyster ({Ostrea
      Virginiana}), are the most important species.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A name popularly given to the delicate morsel contained in
      a small cavity of the bone on each side of the lower part
      of the back of a fowl.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Fresh-water oyster} (Zool.), any species of the genus
      {Etheria}, and allied genera, found in rivers of Africa
      and South America. They are irregular in form, and attach
      themselves to rocks like oysters, but they have a pearly
      interior, and are allied to the fresh-water mussels.

   {Oyster bed}, a breeding place for oysters; a place in a
      tidal river or other water on or near the seashore, where
      oysters are deposited to grow and fatten for market. See
      1st {Scalp}, n.

   {Oyster catcher} (Zool.), See {oystercatcher} in the
      vocabulary.

   {Oyster crab} (Zool.) a small crab ({Pinnotheres ostreum})
      which lives as a commensal in the gill cavity of the
      oyster.

   {Oyster dredge}, a rake or small dragnet for bringing up
      oysters from the bottom of the sea.

   {Oyster fish}. (Zool.)
      (a) The tautog.
      (b) The toadfish.

   {Oyster plant}. (Bot.)
      (a) A plant of the genus {Tragopogon} ({Tragopogon
          porrifolius}), the root of which, when cooked,
          somewhat resembles the oyster in taste; salsify; --
          called also {vegetable oyster}.
      (b) A plant found on the seacoast of Northern Europe,
          America and Asia ({Mertensia maritima}), the fresh
          leaves of which have a strong flavor of oysters.

   {Oyster plover}. (Zool.) Same as {oystercatcher}.

   {Oyster shell} (Zool.), the shell of an oyster.

   {Oyster wench}, {Oyster wife}, {Oyster women}, a women who
      deals in oysters.

   {Pearl oyster}. (Zool.) See under {Pearl}.

   {Thorny oyster} (Zool.), any spiny marine shell of the genus
      {Spondylus}.
      [1913 Webster] oystercatcher
    

OYSTER, n.  A slimy, gobby shellfish which civilization gives men the
hardihood to eat without removing its entrails!  The shells are
sometimes given to the poor.
    

39 Moby Thesaurus words for "oyster":
      Dungeness crab, Japanese crab, blue point, breast, chicken foot,
      clam, coquillage, crab, crawdad, crawfish, crayfish, dark meat,
      drumstick, giblets, langouste, leg, limpet, littleneck clam,
      lobster, long suit, medium, metier, mussel, neck, periwinkle,
      prawn, quahog, scallop, shellfish, shrimp, snail, soft-shell crab,
      steamer, thigh, turkey foot, whelk, white meat, wing, wishbone