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
The others are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.
—
Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that typically lives in warm, brackish seawater, can infect people who eat raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025
Junger’s plan forbade coffee, alcohol, dairy, eggs, sugar, shellfish, deepwater fish, potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper, eggplant, corn, wheat, meat, soy, and anything processed.
—Liz McNeil, People.com, 16 July 2025
They should also be avoided by those with a shellfish or fish allergy.5 Common side effects of omega-3 include:2
Black cohosh is a plant native to North America and is a member of the buttercup family.
—Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellfish
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that typically lives in warm, brackish seawater, can infect people who eat raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025
Junger’s plan forbade coffee, alcohol, dairy, eggs, sugar, shellfish, deepwater fish, potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper, eggplant, corn, wheat, meat, soy, and anything processed.
—Liz McNeil, People.com, 16 July 2025
They should also be avoided by those with a shellfish or fish allergy.5 Common side effects of omega-3 include:2
Black cohosh is a plant native to North America and is a member of the buttercup family.
—Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellfish
Cite this Entry
“Shellfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shellfish. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share