1. An edible American clam; the heavy shells were used as money by some American Indians
   "The hard-shell clam shells were polished to make traditional wampum";
   - quahog, quahaug, hard clam, round clam, Venus mercenaria, Mercenaria mercenaria
    
2. Atlantic coast round clams with hard shells; large clams usually used for chowders or other clam dishes
   "They gathered hard-shell clams for a traditional clambake";
   - quahaug, quahog, round clam

Derived forms: hard-shell clams

Type of: clam

Part of: genus Venus, Venus

Encyclopedia: Hard-shell clam