Definition

1. Noun:
   • An edible American clam: A type of hard-shelled clam native to the Atlantic coast of North America, valued as seafood.
   • The shell of this clam: Historically, the heavy, rounded shells of this clam were used as a form of currency (wampum) by some Native American peoples.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The chef used fresh quahogs to make a delicious clam chowder.
  • Archaeologists found beads made from quahog shells at the ancient site.

Advanced Usage

• "To quahog" (verb, rare/regional): To dig for or gather quahogs.
  • They went to the bay early in the morning to quahog.

Variants and Related Words

• Quahaug: An alternative spelling for "quahog."
• Hard-shell clam: A common name for the quahog.
• Mercenaria mercenaria: The scientific (Latin) name for the quahog species.
• Cherrystone: A smaller, younger quahog, often eaten raw on the half-shell.
• Chowder clam: A larger quahog, typically used in cooked dishes like chowders and stews.

Synonyms

• Hard clam
• Round clam
• Little-neck clam (specifically for the smallest size grade)

Related Phrases

• Quahogging: The activity or industry of harvesting quahogs.
  • Quahogging is a traditional livelihood in many coastal New England towns.

Noun

1. an edible American clam; the heavy shells were used as money by some American Indians
2. Atlantic coast round clams with hard shells; large clams usually used for chowders or other clam dishes