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
Officials in neighboring Washington have also closed the state’s Pacific coastline to the harvesting of shellfish, including mussels, clams, scallops and oysters, a a shellfish safety map produced by the Washington State Department of Health shows.
—
TIME, 11 June 2024
The island is irrigated, solar-powered and walled in native pink granite, and includes 2 acres of shellfish beds, a big lawn, trees and a dock; the mainland is seven minutes by regular ferry.
—The Week Staff, theweek, 4 June 2024
The buildup of acid in ocean waters reduces the availability of calcium carbonate, a key building block for the skeletons and shells of corals, plankton, shellfish, and many other marine organisms.
—Alan B. Sielen, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
My favorite dish incorporating these fresher-than-fresh shellfish comes from Casa Urola, a block from the market.
—Marti Buckley, Saveur, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for shellfish 
TIME, 11 June 2024
The island is irrigated, solar-powered and walled in native pink granite, and includes 2 acres of shellfish beds, a big lawn, trees and a dock; the mainland is seven minutes by regular ferry.
—The Week Staff, theweek, 4 June 2024
The buildup of acid in ocean waters reduces the availability of calcium carbonate, a key building block for the skeletons and shells of corals, plankton, shellfish, and many other marine organisms.
—Alan B. Sielen, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
My favorite dish incorporating these fresher-than-fresh shellfish comes from Casa Urola, a block from the market.
—Marti Buckley, Saveur, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for shellfish
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shellfish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shellfish
Cite this Entry
“Shellfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shellfish. Accessed 20 Jun. 2024.
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