A medium-sized hard clam, particularly a quahog clam that is popular in seafood dishes.
From 'cherry' (referring to its size, roughly cherry-sized) plus 'stone' (the hard shell or pit). The term emerged in American seafood terminology, likely originating from Cherrystone, Virginia, a location in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Cherrystone clams became famous in American cuisine because they're the perfect eating size—too small and they're chewy, too large and they're tough, making them ideal for clam chowder and raw bars.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.