geoduck

or gwe·duc

[ goo-ee-duhk ]

noun

1. a very large, edible, saltwater clam of the genus Panope that burrows into the mud, feeding through a long siphon, the so-called neck, that extends upward: specimens of P. generosa Pacific geoduck, of the waters off western Canada and northwestern United States, have been found to live more than 140 years, and some have exceeded a shell length of 10 inches (25 centimeters), a siphon length of 5 feet (1.5 meters), and a weight of 15 pounds (7 kilograms).

geoduck

/ ˈdʒiːəʊˌdʌk /

noun

1. a large edible clam

Word History and Origins

Origin of geoduck¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; from Lushootseed (formerly Puget Salish ) gwídəq, of uncertain meaning: either an element gwíd-, of uncertain origin + -əq “genitals” (from the resemblance of the siphon to a penis), or from a phrase meaning “dig deep” (because the mollusk buries itself up to three feet deep in sand, silt, or gravel)

Word History and Origins

Origin of geoduck¹

from Chinook jargon