shellfish

noun

shell·​fish ˈshel-ˌfish How to pronounce shellfish (audio)
: 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 When cholesterol stepped into the spotlight as something bad that clogs your arteries, there was a knee-jerk response to quit eating foods high in cholesterol like egg yolks, shellfish, organ meats, etc. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 29 Feb. 2024 Foods high in zinc include shellfish (especially oysters), red meat, pork, tofu, yogurt, chickpeas, lentils, pumpkin seeds, oatmeal, and nuts. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 Also on the brunch menu is a raw bar, featuring a fresh variety of shellfish, caviar, and oysters, along with an array of savory options like their famous potato pave tots topped with a dollop of Hackleback Caviar, or the salmon Benedict and Vault burger. Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Winter is prime season for shellfish and ground fish, in part because those species don’t require fishermen to venture too far from shore in New England’s unpredictable winter weather. Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Feb. 2024 Half pounds of green or black mussels are only $8, or $14 for the pound, and the shellfish were just as plump. Kendyl Kearly, Baltimore Sun, 11 Jan. 2024 Like most divers, redheads ride low in the water and focus their diets primarily on aquatic vegetation with a smattering of shellfish and smaller crustaceans, when available. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023 Gumbo is a thickened stew made up primarily of stock, a Holy Trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery; meat or shellfish, and a thickener—typically a roux, okra, or filé powder. Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2023 As filter feeders, oysters remove algae and excess nutrients from the water, their beds support a variety of marine life including fish and fellow shellfish. Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2024

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.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shellfish was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shellfish

Cite this Entry

“Shellfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shellfish. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shellfish

noun
shell·​fish ˈshel-ˌfish How to pronounce shellfish (audio)
: an invertebrate animal that lives in water and has a shell
especially : an edible mollusk (as an oyster) or crustacean (as a crab)

More from Merriam-Webster on shellfish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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