butterfly shell

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co•qui•na

(koʊˈki nə)

n., pl. -nas.
1. Also called butterfly shell. a small clam, Donax variabilis, having fanlike bands of various hues and common in intertidal zones of the E and S U.S. coasts: the paired empty shells often spread in a butterfly shape.
2. any similar clam.
3. a soft whitish rock made up of fragments of marine shells and coral, used as a building material.
[1830–40, Amer.; < Sp: literally, shellfish = Old Spanish coc(a) shellfish (< Latin concha; see conch) + -ina -ine3]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
Perhaps revealing my ignorance, I could do nothing with "entropy to eolith" [437], "khoums to Kikuyu" [720], "polychrome to polyp" [1010], or even (for shame!) "bustier to butterfly shell" [179].
Collect all of the abandoned butterfly shells and race back to the condo with your treasures.
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