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limpet

noun, verb — 3 senses

limpet

noun

/ˈlɪm.pɪt/

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.

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

UK Someone clingy or dependent; someone disregarding or ignorant of another's personal space.

  • He stuck to me like a limpet all day!
Derived terms
black limpet, duck's-bill limpet, keyhole limpet, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, limpetlike, limpet mine

limpet

verb

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.

1

To gather limpets.

  • Mother visited the little cottage over the hill, and found Lisette's story to be quite correct; and many times the Frenchwoman blessed the day when Margie went limpeting and Lisette lent the old knife to the golden-haired little English lady.1890 JUNE, THE GUERNSEY MAGAZINE A MONTHLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL of INFORMATION, INSTRUCTION & ENTERTAINMENT, volume XVIII, number 6, page 1:
  • Razor-fishing, sand-eeling and limpeting used to be popular activities but have declined in importance.2024 December 22, Wikipedia contributors, “Culture of Jersey”, in English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.