Meaning & use
oyster
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Meanings
nouncountable
A sea animal with a rough, hinged shell that is often eaten as food.
Grammar: Countable: one oyster, two oysters. Can be used as a modifier: oyster shell, oyster farm.
Patterns
- eat oysters
- raw oysters
- a dozen oysters
We ordered a plate of fresh oysters.
He doesn't like the taste of raw oysters.
Oysters are often served with lemon.
nounidiom
Used in the phrase 'the world is your oyster', meaning you have the freedom and opportunity to do what you want.
Grammar: Fixed phrase, always with 'the world is your oyster' or 'the world is someone's oyster'.
Patterns
- the world is your oyster
- the world is someone's oyster
With your degree, the world is your oyster.
After the promotion, she felt the world was her oyster.
Word forms
| plural | oysters |
|---|
Common combinations
- raw oysters
- Raw oysters are a popular appetizer.
- oyster shell
- The beach was covered with broken oyster shells.
- oyster farm
- They visited an oyster farm on the coast.
- a dozen oysters
- We bought a dozen oysters for the party.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shellfish
- Shellfish is a broader term that includes oysters, clams, mussels, and others; oyster is a specific type.
Word family
- oystercatcher noun
- A black and white bird with a long orange bill that feeds on shellfish.
Commonly confused: oyster or oyster?
oyster vs oyster
Not to be confused with 'oyster' as a color (a pale grayish-white) or with 'Oyster' as a brand name for travel cards in London.
Practice
Complete the idiom: 'The world is your ____.'
Choose one answer.
The fixed idiom is 'the world is your oyster', meaning you have many opportunities. 'Clam', 'pearl', and 'shell' are related words but do not form this idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oyster”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.