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

The species, native to Western Europe and Africa, has few predators, aggressively hunts its prey, and can consume a wide variety of shellfish, including oysters, clams, mussels, lobsters, and other crabs. — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Vibrio, a bacteria found in salt and brackish water, is contracted when wounds are exposed to water containing the bacteria or a person eats contaminated raw or undercooked shellfish. — Eva Flowe october 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026

Blue crabs and crawfish are sourced from Louisiana, while shellfish such as oysters, Manila clams and cherrystone clams arrive from waters stretching from the East Coast to Asia. — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Oily fish tend to stand out for their omega-3 fats, while shellfish can be especially rich in minerals such as iron, zinc and vitamin B-12. — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 5 Oct. 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)