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

Some dishes don’t carry the French names of their sauces, like a dish of brill, shellfish, and Breton cider, where sauce Normande could just as easily have been mentioned. —Joel Hart, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025

Shrimp is a low-calorie, high-protein shellfish packed with antioxidants and essential minerals. —Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025

This multiple-course educational dinner teaches diners about the local shellfish species and recreational and commercial lobster fishing. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025

The others are sesame, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. —News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 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)