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

People can contract the infection by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or when an open wound comes into contact with coastal waters, the CDC says. — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026

Protective gloves should be worn when handling raw shellfish. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026

They can be contracted when an open wound is exposed to seawater, or through the consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish, specifically oysters, the CDC said. — Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Most commonly, the pathogen is consumed through raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, says Valerie Harwood, a professor of biology at the University of South Florida who studies the bacteria. — Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 5 Aug. 2026

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)