quahog

American  

[kwaw-hawg, -hog, kwoh-, koh-, kwuh-hawg, -hog] / ˈkwɔ hɔg, -hɒg, kwoʊ-, ˈkoʊ-, kwəˈhɔg, -ˈhɒg /

Or quahaug

noun

1. an edible clam, Venus (sometimesMercenaria ) mercenaria, inhabiting waters along the Atlantic coast, having a relatively thick shell.

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quahog British  

/ ˈkoʊˌhɒɡ /

noun

1. Also called: hard-shell clam.   hard-shell.   round clam.  an edible clam, Venus (or Mercenaria ) mercenaria, native to the Atlantic coast of North America, having a large heavy rounded shell Compare soft-shell clam

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Etymology

Origin of quahog

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; from Narragansett ( English spelling) poquaûhock

Explanation

A quahog is a kind of edible clam with a very hard shell. In the U.S., you're most likely to see quahogs on the menu in New England, New York, or New Jersey (not so much in Montana). Quahogs are sometimes called "hard clams," "round clams," or "chowder clams," since they're commonly used to make clam chowder. Native Americans in New England once used quahog shells (especially purple ones) to make a kind of bead called wampum that was used as a gift or for trading. The word quahog comes from the Narragansett poquauhock, meaning "hard clam."

Example Sentences

And the ocean quahog, a type of clam that can live more than 500 years, making it the longest living animal, is predicted to struggle.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2025

McManus said the hunt for an answer to the quahog decline is complex.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 24, 2023

He determined that Abra-clam was part of the mercenaria campechiensis species, also known as the southern quahog.

From Washington Post • Mar. 11, 2023

And then pearl like this thing that the cousin to the quahog has in oysters and, you know, suddenly then they’re back to plain rock.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 22, 2020

Doctor Gordon’s private hospital crowned a grassy rise at the end of a long, secluded drive that had been whitened with broken quahog shells.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Related Words

• mollusk