n.
Pronunciation: ' klam- ˌ shel
Function: noun
Date: circa 1520
1 : the shell of a clam
2 a : a bucket or grapple (as on a dredge) having two hinged jaws b : an excavating machine having a clamshell c : either of a pair of doors (as in an airplane tail) that open out and away from each other d : a hinged container, case, or cover that opens like the shell of a clam