A shellfish with a soft body inside two hard shells that can close tightly. Clams live in sand or mud in oceans and rivers and are often eaten as seafood.
From Old English "clam" meaning "clam" or "mussel," related to a root meaning "to press or squeeze together." The name likely refers to how tightly the shells clamp shut.
The same idea that gives us "clamp" is hiding inside "clam"—it’s the animal that literally clamps shut. That’s also why a very quiet person is called a "clam"; they keep their shell tightly closed.
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