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

Choose your shellfish of choice, along with spice level and sauce preference. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Catch a sunset over Chincoteague Bay, enjoy a nearby beach, or dig your own clams and inspect your own oysters on an interactive shellfish tour. —Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 June 2025

Chef’s special nigiri ($28) has eight different fish and shellfish with sushi rice, topped with garnishes unique to each piece, including fish roe, green onions and panko crumbs. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2025

The Gulf Shellfish Institute, based in Manatee County, received $2.5 million for research into sustainable shellfish aquaculture. —Alice Herman, Miami Herald, 20 May 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)