Definition

A person who studies soft-bodied animals, especially those with shells, like snails and clams.

Example

The malacologist discovered a new species of snail in the rainforest.

Conversation

I met someone at the beach who is a malacologist.

Really? That sounds interesting! What do they study?

They study all kinds of molluscs, like snails and octopuses.

Wow, I'd love to learn more about that field!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Malacologist → It is formed from "malaco-" (from Greek "malakos", meaning soft) and "-logist" (from Greek "logia", meaning study or science). A malacologist is someone who studies soft-bodied animals, particularly mollusks.

Memory Tip

Think of 'soft' ('malaco-') and 'study' ('-logist') to remember that a malacologist studies soft-bodied creatures like snails and clams.

Visually Confused Words