clamshell

noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"clamshell" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“clamshell” is uncommon English (frequency #64,993 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#64,993
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The shell of a clam.

Corpus desk

Index EN-clamshell · clamshell · English

clamshell · rank #64,993 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #64,993
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH citrine

Nearest frequency peer: citrine (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “clamshell”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “clamshell” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for clamshell
PropertyValue
Headwordclamshell
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters9
Frequency rank#64,993
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “clamshell” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).clamshellfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “citrine” (#64,992), “clod” (#64,994), “Cisneros” (#64,991). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “clamshell” is #64,993. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

clamshell is uncommon English at frequency #64,993 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 8 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for clamshell in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From clam + shell. The correct English form is clamshell, spelled C-L-A-M-S-H-E-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    The shell of a clam.
  2. 2
    Any object that, in (literal or figurative) resemblance to the shell of a clam, has a hinge on one edge and two surfaces that close together.
  3. 3
    Any object that, in (literal or figurative) resemblance to the shell of a clam, has a hinge on one edge and two surfaces that close together.
  4. 4
    Any object that, in (literal or figurative) resemblance to the shell of a clam, has a hinge on one edge and two surfaces that close together.
  5. 5
    Any object that, in (literal or figurative) resemblance to the shell of a clam, has a hinge on one edge and two surfaces that close together.
  6. 6
    Any object that, in (literal or figurative) resemblance to the shell of a clam, has a hinge on one edge and two surfaces that close together.
  7. 7
    Any object with some other resemblance to either one or both halves of the shell of a clam.
  8. 8
    Any object with some other resemblance to either one or both halves of the shell of a clam.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how clamshell appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. You'll find a mix among clamshell laptops for strong laps, lunchboxes, and sewing-machine configurations; the latter two designs typically have detachable keyboards.
  2. The wall has been constructed one panel at a time by a machine which uses a clamshell bucket to excavate straight down to a depth of 30 metres. […] Specialised long-reach excavators with a clamshell grab then reach though the openings to lift the spoil to the surface, which is then deposited in articulated dump trucks (ADTs).

Etymology

From clam + shell.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "clamshell"?
"clamshell" is spelled C-L-A-M-S-H-E-L-L.
What does "clamshell" mean?
As a noun, "clamshell" means: The shell of a clam.
What is the origin of the word "clamshell"?
From clam + shell. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "clamshell", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

cingulate#64,988Cranfield#65,019carbonara#64,965capsaicin#64,963

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list