shellfish

noun

shell·​fish ˈshel-ˌfish 

: an aquatic invertebrate animal with a shell

especially : an edible mollusk or crustacean

Examples of shellfish in a Sentence

lobsters, crabs, and other shellfish

Recent Examples on the Web

These include washing your hands well and often, thoroughly cooking and washing shellfish, fruits, and vegetables, disinfecting contaminated surfaces, and remaining at home for at least two days after the symptoms are gone. —Moná Thomas, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025

Guests can forage wild ingredients, visit local farms, and even take a boat ride to a nearby shellfish farm before learning to shuck like a pro. —Lanee Lee, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025

These shellfish are also high in minerals, such as selenium, zinc, and manganese. —Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 21 Feb. 2025

The nine main food allergens in the U.S. are milk, eggs, fish, wheat, soybeans, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and sesame. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shellfish

• bluefish
• catfish
• codfish
• crawfish
• dogfish
• finfish
• flatfish
• goldfish
• groundfish
• kingfish
• offish
• redfish

Kids Definition

shellfish

noun

shell·​fish ˈshel-ˌfish 

: an invertebrate animal that lives in water and has a shell

especially : an edible mollusk (as an oyster) or crustacean (as a crab)