Word of the Day - 01/22/26
bivalve
/'baɪ,vælv/(n.): marine or freshwater mollusks having a soft body with platelike gills enclosed within two shells hinged together; e.g. a clam
Bivalves are unsettlingly bivalent: a delicacy to the palate and an affront to the imagination.
Word Origin
The word 'bivalve' originates from Latin. It is formed from the prefix 'bi-' meaning 'two' and 'valva' meaning 'a folding door' or 'one leaf of a door'. Thus, 'bivalve' literally refers to an organism having two shells or valves.