Adjacent Words

Limpet definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LIM'PET, n. [L. lepas; Gr. from to peel or strip off bark.]
A univalve shell of the genus Patella, adhering to rocks.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: mollusk with a low conical shell
2: any of various usually marine gastropods with low conical shells; found clinging to rocks in littoral areas

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English lempet, from Old English lempedu, from Medieval Latin lampreda lamprey Date: before 12th century 1. a marine gastropod mollusk (especially families Acmaeidae and Patellidae) that has a low conical shell broadly open beneath, browses over rocks or timbers in the littoral area, and clings very tightly when disturbed 2. one that clings tenaciously to someone or something 3. an explosive device designed to cling magnetically to a metallic surface (as the hull of a ship)

Britannica Concise

Any of various species of snails that have a flattened shell. Most marine species (subclass Prosobranchia) cling to rocks near shore. A common U.S. species is the Atlantic plate limpet (Acmaea testudinalis) of cold waters. Keyhole limpets have a slit or hole at the apex of the shell. Some limpets (subclass Pulmonata) live in brackish water and freshwater. See also mollusk.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 any of various marine gastropod molluscs, esp. the common limpet Patella vulgata, with a shallow conical shell and a broad muscular foot that sticks tightly to rocks. 2 a clinging person. Phrases and idioms: limpet mine a mine designed to be attached to a ship's hull and set to explode after a certain time. Etymology: OE lempedu f. med.L lampreda limpet, LAMPREY

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Limpet Lim"pet (l[i^]m"p[e^]t), n. [Prob. through French fr. L. lepas, -adis, Gr. lepa`s, -a`dos.] (Zo["o]l.) 1. In a general sense, any hatshaped, or conical, gastropod shell. 2. Any one of many species of marine shellfish of the order Docoglossa, mostly found adhering to rocks, between tides. Note: The common European limpets of the genus Patella (esp. P. vulgata) are extensively used as food. The common New England species is Acm[ae]a testudinalis. Numerous species of limpets occur on the Pacific coast of America, some of them of large size. 3. Any species of Siphonaria, a genus of limpet-shaped Pulmonifera, living between tides, on rocks. 4. A keyhole limpet. See Fissurella.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(limpets) A limpet is a small sea animal with a cone-shaped shell which attaches itself tightly to rocks. N-COUNT

Moby Thesaurus

Chilopoda, Chordata, Dungeness crab, Echiuroidea, Ectoprocta, Entoprocta, Japanese crab, Monoplacophora, Nemertinea, Phoronidea, adherent, adhesive, barnacle, blue point, bramble, brier, bulldog, burr, cement, clam, coquillage, crab, crawdad, crawfish, crayfish, decal, decalcomania, glue, gunk, langouste, leech, littleneck clam, lobster, molasses, mucilage, mussel, oyster, paste, periwinkle, plaster, prawn, prickle, quahog, remora, scallop, shellfish, shrimp, snail, soft-shell crab, steamer, sticker, syrup, thorn, whelk