English Explanatory Dictionary

limpet

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of various gastropods with a conical shell shape (patelliform) and a strong, muscular foot that they use to create strong suction to cling onto rocks or other hard surfaces.
  2. Someone clingy or dependent; someone disregarding or ignorant of another's personal space.
verb
  1. To gather limpets.

Pronunciation

/ˈlɪm.pɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-limpet.wav

Word forms

limpet limpets limpin limpeting limpeted

Etymology

From Middle English lempet, from Old English lempedu (“lamprey”), borrowed from Medieval Latin lampreda, alteration of Late Latin lampetra (“lamprey”), whose further origin is unknown, though is traditionally thought to derive from lambō (“to lick, lap”) + petra (“stone, rock”). Doublet of lamprey, which came through Old French.

Derived words

black limpet duck's-bill limpet keyhole limpet keyhole limpet hemocyanin limpetlike limpet mine

Translations

Asturian: llámpara Basque: lapa Breton: brennigenn Catalan: pagellida Chinese Mandarin: 帽貝 /帽贝 Chinese Mandarin: 笠螺 Chinese Mandarin: 笠貝 /笠贝 Cornish: brennik Cornish: brenigen Czech: přílipka Danish: albueskæl Dutch: napslak Finnish: maljakotilo French: patelle French: lampotte French: bernique Galician: lapa Galician: patela German: Napfschnecke Greek: πεταλίδα Ancient Greek: λεπάς Hawaiian: ʻopihi Hungarian: csészecsiga Hungarian: tapadókagyló Irish: bairneach Italian: patella Korean: 삿갓조개 Latin: lepas Latin: mītulus Macedonian: прилепец Māori: ngākihi Māori: kākihi Māori: piritoka Norman: baîni Norman: fllie Polish: skałoczep Portuguese: lapa Russian: блю́дечко Russian: морско́е блю́дечко Scottish Gaelic: bàirneach Serbo-Croatian: priljepak Spanish: lapa Swedish: skålsnäcka Vietnamese: con sao sao Welsh: llygad maharen Welsh: cragen maharen Welsh: brennig Welsh: cogwrn
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