Poquauhock
/ˈpoʊ.kwɔː.hɒk/noun
An archaic English spelling of quahog, the hard-shelled edible clam Mercenaria mercenaria.
Did you know?Poquauhock was borrowed from Narragansett, but the often-repeated translation “horse fish” is uncertain rather than securely established.
Etymological Timeline
Before European contact
Algonquian
*pəquahakw
“A reconstructed Eastern Algonquian term for the hard clam; the exact internal analysis is uncertain.”
17th Century
Narragansett
poquauhock
“The hard clam, an important coastal food among Indigenous peoples of southern New England.”
Early 18th Century
English
poquauhock
“An English recording of the Indigenous shellfish name.”
18th Century
English
quahaug
“A shortened or respelled form used for the hard clam.”
Modern English
English
quahog
“The standard modern name for the hard clam, especially in New England and Atlantic Canada.”