malacology

[ mal-uh-kol-uh-jee ]

noun

1. the science dealing with the study of mollusks.

malacology

/ ˌmæləkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; ˌmæləˈkɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the branch of zoology concerned with the study of molluscs

malacology

/ măl′ə-kŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of mollusks.

Derived Forms

• malacological, adjective
• ˌmalaˈcologist, noun

Other Words From

• mal·a·co·log·i·cal [mal-, uh, -k, uh, -, loj, -i-k, uh, l], adjective
• mala·colo·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of malacology¹

1830–40; < French malacologie, syncopated variant of malacozoologie. See malaco-, zoology

Example Sentences

The museum’s anthropology, ethnography, palaeontology, geology, entomology, arachnology and malacology collections were all housed in the palace – and most of them were destroyed, she said.

From The Guardian

As Distel worked on his research, he kept an eye out for Kuphus, which had gained a reputation as the Loch Ness monster of malacology.

From The New Yorker

Dirks recently studied snails under some of the top researchers in the field of malacology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

From Washington Times

Bouchet is head of malacology in the natural history museum in Paris and has named more than 500 species new to science himself.

From The Guardian

"There's enough here to keep us busy for a very long time," said malacology collections manager Paul Callomon.

From Seattle Times