1
: a soft whitish limestone formed of broken shells and corals cemented together and used for building
2
: a small wedge-shaped clam (Donax variabilis) used for broth or chowder and occurring in the intertidal zone of sandy Atlantic beaches from Delaware to the Gulf of Mexico

Examples of coquina in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rocks, sand dollars, coquina mollusks — anything the ocean gave up. CBS News, 2 Oct. 2024 The area’s history is revealed during a short hike that meanders through an old coquina quarry on the immediate righthand side of the park’s entrance. Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, probably diminutive of coca head, alteration of coco bogeyman, coconut

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coquina was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Coquina.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coquina. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

coquina

noun
1
: a soft whitish limestone formed of broken shells and corals cemented together and used for building
2
: a small marine clam used especially to make broth or chowder

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