Hard Clam
/ˌhɑːrd ˈklæm/noun
A North American edible bivalve, Mercenaria mercenaria, with a thick, hard shell.
Did you know?The hard clam has also been called a quahog, a name derived from an Indigenous Algonquian language and preserved in modern English place and food names.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kortós
“Hard or strong; the ancient root behind the Germanic source of hard.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*harduz
“Hard, firm, or brave.”
Old English
Old English
heard
“Hard, solid, severe, or courageous.”
17th Century
English
clam
“A bivalve mollusk; the exact origin of this American English noun is uncertain, though it may be connected with words for shellfish or mud.”
18th Century
English
hard clam
“A common English name for the thick-shelled edible North American bivalve.”
Modern English
English
hard clam
“The species Mercenaria mercenaria, also known as quahog, littleneck, or cherrystone depending on size and use.”