Word origin
[1770–80; ‹ NL, n. use of fem. of L
tridacnus requiring three bites ‹ Gk
trídaknos , equiv. to
tri- tri- +
dákn(
ein) to bite +
-os adj. suffix
]This word is first recorded in the period 1770–80. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: charade, crescendo, extra, red flag, shotgun