Gweduck

/ɡwɪˈdʌk/ noun

Definition

A large marine burrowing clam native to the Pacific coast of North America, known for its long siphon.

Etymology

Variant spelling of 'geoduck,' from Lushootseed 'gʷədə́q.' The word has multiple English spellings including 'geoduck,' 'geoduc,' 'gweduck,' and others, reflecting the challenges of transliterating Native American sounds into English letters.

Kelly Says

The geoduck's scientific name is Panopea generosa, but people still call it by the Native American name—it's one of the few modern foods where we've kept the indigenous name, honoring the people who discovered how good they are to eat!

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