Clam vs. Cockle

Clam vs. Cockle — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Clam and Cockle

Clamnoun

A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; for example the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria), the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve.

Cocklenoun

Any of various edible European bivalve mollusks, of the family Cardiidae, having heart-shaped shells.

Clamnoun

Strong pincers or forceps.

Cocklenoun

The shell of such a mollusk.

Clamnoun

A kind of vise, usually of wood.

Cocklenoun

(in the plural) One’s innermost feelings (only in the expression “the cockles of one’s heart”).

ADVERTISEMENT

Clamnoun

A dollar (usually used in the plural).

Those sneakers cost me fifty clams!

Cocklenoun

(directly from French coquille) A wrinkle, pucker

Clamnoun

A Scientologist.

Cocklenoun

(by extension) A defect in sheepskin; firm dark nodules caused by the bites of keds on live sheep

Clamnoun

(slang) A vagina.

Cocklenoun

The mineral black tourmaline or schorl.

ADVERTISEMENT

Clamnoun

(informal) One who clams up; a taciturn person, one who refuses to speak.

Cocklenoun

(UK) The fire chamber of a furnace.

Clamnoun

clamminess; moisture

Cocklenoun

(UK) A kiln for drying hops; an oast.

Clamverb

To dig for clams.

Cocklenoun

(UK) The dome of a heating furnace.

Clamverb

To produce, in bellringing, a clam or clangor; to cause to clang.

Cocklenoun

Any of several field weeds, such as the corncockle, Agrostemma githago, and Lolium temulentum.

Clamverb

To be moist or glutinous; to stick; to adhere.

Cockleverb

To cause to contract into wrinkles or ridges, as some kinds of cloth after a wetting; to pucker.

Clamverb

To clog, as with glutinous or viscous matter.

Cocklenoun

common edible European bivalve

Clamadjective

clammy.

Cocklenoun

common edible European bivalve mollusk having a rounded shell with radiating ribs

Clamnoun

burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud

Cockleverb

stir up (water) so as to form ripples

Clamnoun

a piece of paper money worth one dollar

Cockleverb

to gather something into small wrinkles or folds;

She puckered her lips

Clamnoun

flesh of either hard-shell or soft-shell clams

Clamverb

gather clams, by digging in the sand by the ocean