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

SmartyPants supplements are free of soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, fish, eggs, shellfish and sesame. —Pubsubhub User, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026

The Massachusetts Ethics Commission says that the city’s former harbormaster had his subordinate, the shellfish constable, write several college assignments for him. —Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2026

One order of cioppino allegedly feeds two people but could sustain a family of four, packed with exclusively shellfish, including a tangle of Dungeness crab legs, squid tentacles, and petite shrimp. —Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026

Zebra mussels are tiny invasive shellfish, originally found in Asia and Europe, that spread by clinging to boats. —Joshua Haiar, States Newsroom, 21 Jan. 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)