cuttle-bone

A pet bird pecks at a cuttle-bone in its cage.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The internal calcareous shell of a cuttlefish: "cuttle-bone" refers to the hard, brittle, porous structure found inside a cuttlefish, composed mainly of calcium carbonate. It is used as a dietary supplement for birds (especially cage birds) to provide calcium and as a polishing agent.

Usage Examples

• (The internal shell of a cuttlefish used as a bird supplement.)
• (The crushed shell used as a soil amendment.)
• (The physical property of the shell.)

Advanced Usage

• "cuttle-bone as a calcium source": In ornithology, cuttle-bone is commonly provided to birds to prevent calcium deficiency.
  • Breeding birds require extra calcium, so a cuttle-bone is essential in their cage. (A dietary supplement for reproductive health.)
• "cuttle-bone in jewelry making": The porous material can be carved or used as a mold for casting small metal objects.
  • Artisans use cuttle-bone to create unique silver pendants. (A specialized application in metalworking.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cuttlefish (n): a marine mollusk of the order Sepiida, which has a cuttle-bone.
  • The cuttlefish uses its cuttle-bone for buoyancy control. (The animal that produces the shell.)
• Cuttlebone (n): an alternative spelling of "cuttle-bone."
  • The spelling "cuttlebone" is common in modern usage. (A variant form without the hyphen.)

Synonyms

• Sepia shell: a scientific term for the cuttle-bone.
  • The sepia shell is often ground into powder for use in toothpaste. (A formal synonym.)
• Cuttlefish bone: a descriptive synonym.
  • The cuttlefish bone is a common item in bird care. (A more explicit term.)

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms directly using "cuttle-bone." However, the word appears in specialized contexts:
  • "As light as a cuttle-bone": a rare simile meaning extremely light in weight.

    • The dried seaweed was as light as a cuttle-bone. (A poetic comparison.)