ab·a·lo·ne / ˌabəˈlōnē; ˈabəˌlōnē/ • n. an edible mollusk (genus Haliotis, family Haliotidae) of warm seas that has a shallow ear-shaped shell lined with mother-of-pearl and pierced with respiratory holes.ORIGIN: mid 19th cent.: via Latin American Spanish from aulun, from an American Indian language of Monterey Bay, California.

abalone A shellfish (mollusc), Haliotus splendens, H. rufescens, H. cracherodii, also sometimes called ormer, or sea ear. A 100‐g portion is a rich source of protein and niacin; a source of iron and vitamin B₁; supplies 130 kcal (550 kJ).

abalone (ormer) Gastropod mollusc with a single, flattened, spiral shell perforated by a row of respiratory holes. They are found in the shallows of rocky shores. Abalones are eaten and their shells used as ornaments. Length: to 30cm (12in). Family Haliotidae; species include Haliotis rufescens.