Oyster \Oys"ter\ (ois"t[~e]r), n. [OF. oistre, F. hu[^i]tre, L.
ostrea, ostreum, Gr. 'o`streon; prob. akin to 'ostre`on bone,
the oyster being so named from its shell. Cf. Osseous,
Ostracize.]
1. (Zool.) Any marine bivalve mollusk of the genus Ostrea.
They are usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed
objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in
brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The common European
oyster (Ostrea edulis), and the American oyster (Ostrea
Virginiana), are the most important species.
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2. A name popularly given to the delicate morsel contained in
a small cavity of the bone on each side of the lower part
of the back of a fowl.
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Fresh-water oyster (Zool.), any species of the genus
Etheria, and allied genera, found in rivers of Africa
and South America. They are irregular in form, and attach
themselves to rocks like oysters, but they have a pearly
interior, and are allied to the fresh-water mussels.
Oyster bed, a breeding place for oysters; a place in a
tidal river or other water on or near the seashore, where
oysters are deposited to grow and fatten for market. See
1st Scalp, n.
Oyster catcher (Zool.), See oystercatcher in the
vocabulary.
Oyster crab (Zool.) a small crab (Pinnotheres ostreum)
which lives as a commensal in the gill cavity of the
oyster.
Oyster dredge, a rake or small dragnet for bringing up
oysters from the bottom of the sea.
Oyster fish. (Zool.)
(a) The tautog.
(b) The toadfish.
Oyster plant. (Bot.)
(a) A plant of the genus Tragopogon (Tragopogon
porrifolius), the root of which, when cooked,
somewhat resembles the oyster in taste; salsify; --
called also vegetable oyster.
(b) A plant found on the seacoast of Northern Europe,
America and Asia (Mertensia maritima), the fresh
leaves of which have a strong flavor of oysters.
Oyster plover. (Zool.) Same as oystercatcher.
Oyster shell (Zool.), the shell of an oyster.
Oyster wench, Oyster wife, Oyster women, a women who
deals in oysters.
Pearl oyster. (Zool.) See under Pearl.
Thorny oyster (Zool.), any spiny marine shell of the genus
Spondylus.
[1913 Webster] oystercatcher
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Tautog \Tau*tog"\, n. [The pl. of taut, the American Indian
name, translated by Roger Williams sheep's heads, and written
by him tauta['u]og.] (Zool.)
An edible labroid fish (Haitula onitis, or Tautoga
onitis) of the Atlantic coast of the United States. When
adult it is nearly black, more or less irregularly barred,
with greenish gray. Called also blackfish, oyster fish,
salt-water chub, and moll. [Written also tautaug.]
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Toadfish \Toad"fish`\, n. (Zool.)
(a) Any marine fish of the genus Batrachus, having a large,
thick head and a wide mouth, and bearing some resemblance
to a toad. The American species (Batrachus tau) is very
common in shallow water. Called also oyster fish, and
sapo.
(b) The angler.
(c) A swellfish.
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