quahog

or qua·haug

[ kwaw-hawg, -hog, kwoh-, koh-, kwuh-hawg, -hog ]

noun

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

quahog

/ ˈkoʊˌhɒɡ /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of quahog¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of quahog¹

C18: from Narraganset, short for poquauhock, from pohkeni dark + hogki shell

Example Sentences

There was a peak in the harvest of quahogs in the 1950s before the dredging of the clams was banned.

From Seattle Times

Then he stumbled upon something that stunned him: a seemingly centuries-old quahog clam.

From Washington Post

Still others, such as my beloved quahogs, have evolved ways to keep muscles strong and hearts beating for centuries.

From Salon

They occupied a land of plenty, hunting deer, elk and bear in the forests, fishing for herring and trout, and harvesting quahogs — clams — in the rivers and bays.

From Seattle Times

This minor league team was as much a part of Rhode Island as quahogs, or Del’s Lemonade, or hoary stories of having once bumped into so-and-so the mobster at such-and-such a joint.

From New York Times

Related Words

• mollusk