shell-like

British  

adjective

1. resembling the empty shell of a mollusc

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noun

1. slang an ear (esp in the phrase a word in your shell-like )

Example Sentences

Insects and other arthropods, which make up the vast majority of animals on Earth, instead possess a shell-like exoskeleton, which is mainly composed of a tough, flexible material called cuticle.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 5, 2023

Even in cases where it’s not used for flying and is fused together, this shell-like wing cover is thought to be one of the keys to beetle survival.

From New York Times • Jul. 8, 2023

The artist collected pieces of avocado skin and discovered that, rather than rot, they dried into shell-like forms.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2022

Instead, the researchers’ analysis found that S. bideni’s inner shell is a gladius, a triangular shell-like remnant found in squids and vampire squids.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 11, 2022

He didn't see the skin clear, its dark spots fading, or how the thickened, discolored nails became shell-like and translucent.

From "Son" by Lois Lowry