: any of a family (Nephropidae and especially Homarus americanus) of large edible marine decapod crustaceans that have stalked eyes, a pair of large claws, and a long abdomen and that include species from coasts on both sides of the North Atlantic and from the Cape of Good Hope
Recent Examples on the WebCertain airlines will also permit live lobster in a clear, plastic, spill-proof container.—Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2024 Good lobster rolls are hard to come by in the Great Plains.—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2024 Here, the lobster meat is served warm with butter, but the classic bun is replaced with a beautifully flaky croissant-esque roll.—Briana Bononcini, Bon Appétit, 3 July 2024 Maine may still be king of catching New England lobsters.—Carolyn Wyman, Hartford Courant, 2 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lobster
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lobster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English loppestre, from loppe spider
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of lobster was
before the 12th century
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