shell

1 of 2

noun

ˈshel 

plural shells

1

a

: a hard rigid usually largely calcareous covering or support of an animal

b

: the hard or tough often thin outer covering of an egg (as of a bird or reptile) see egg illustration

2

: the covering or outside part of a fruit or seed especially when hard or fibrous

3

: shell material (as of mollusks or turtles) or their substance

4

: something that resembles a shell: such as

a

: a framework or exterior structure

especially : a building with an unfinished interior

b(1)

: an external case or outside covering

the shell of a ship

(2)

: a thin usually spherical layer or surface enclosing a space or surrounding an object

an expanding shell of gas around a neutron star

c

: a casing without substance

mere effigies and shells of men

—Thomas Carlyle

d

: an edible outer layer of usually baked or fried pastry dough or bread for holding a filling

a pastry shell

a taco salad in a tortilla shell

e

: band shell

f

: a small beer glass

g

: an unlined article of outerwear

5

: a shell-bearing mollusk

6

: an impersonal attitude or manner that conceals the presence or absence of feeling

he retreated into his shell

7

: a narrow light racing boat propelled by one or more persons pulling oars or sculls

8

: any of the regions occupied by the orbits of a group of electrons of approximately equal energy surrounding the nucleus of an atom

9

a

: a projectile for cannon containing an explosive bursting charge

b

: a case (as of metal, paper, or plastic) that holds the charge of powder and shot or bullet used with breech-loading small arms

a shotgun shell

compare cartridge

10

: a plain usually sleeveless blouse or sweater

11

: a company or corporation that exists without assets or independent operations as a legal entity through which another company or corporation can conduct various dealings

shell adjective

shell

2 of 2

verb

shelled; shelling; shells

transitive verb

1

a

: to take out of a natural enclosing cover (such as a shell, husk, pod, or capsule)

shell peanuts

b

: to separate the kernels of (corn, wheat, oats, etc.) from the cob, ear, or husk

2

: to throw shells at, upon, or into : bombard

3

: to score heavily against (someone, such as an opposing pitcher in baseball)

intransitive verb

1

: to fall or scale off in thin pieces

2

: to cast the shell or exterior covering : fall out of the pod or husk

nuts which shell in falling

3

: to gather shells (as from a beach)

Synonyms

Noun

• armor
• capsule
• case
• casing
• cocoon
• cover
• covering
• encasement
• housing
• hull
• husk
• jacket
• pod
• sheath

Verb

• bark
• flay
• hull
• husk
• peel
• shuck
• skin

Examples of shell in a Sentence

Noun

the shell of a crab

We collected shells at the beach.

We're going to have stuffed shells for dinner.

Verb

They shelled the enemy troops.

The town was shelled during the battle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its galvanized steel shell is an affordable change from the resin material that many smaller sheds are made of these days. —Clint Davis, People.com, 3 May 2025

The artwork resembles the shell of a room that is unravelled to form a flat, vertical structure, like a deconstructed box. —Megan Williams, CNN Money, 1 May 2025

Verb

In the storyline of the series so far, the goalie who’s expected this week to win his third Vezina Trophy, and who could take home the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP, has been shelled by St. Louis. —Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

The Indonesian Hospital, a stately four-story building, was one of the few structures in the vicinity still standing, though it, too, had reportedly been shelled. —Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English sciell; akin to Old English scealu shell, Old Norse skel, Lithuanian skelti to split, Greek skallein to hoe

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing shell

• band shell
• ear shell
• half shell
• hard-shell
• hard-shell clam
• hard-shell crab
• moon shell
• on the half shell
• patty shell
• shell bean
• shell game
• shell jacket
• shell out
• shell pink
• shell shock
• shell-shocked
• shell steak
• shell suit
• soft-shell
• soft-shell clam
• star shell
• tooth shell

Rhymes for shell

• bel
• belle
• cel
• cell
• dell
• dwell
• el
• ell
• fel
• fell
• gel
• gell

Kids Definition

shell

1 of 2 noun

ˈshel 

1

a

: a hard stiff covering of an animal (as a turtle or beetle)

b

: the outer covering of an egg (as of a bird or reptile)

2

: the outer covering of a nut, fruit, or seed especially when hard or tough

3

: shell material or shells especially of mollusks

4

: something like a shell: as

a

: a framework or outside structure

b

: a bottom crust for a pie

a pastry shell

c

: a concrete arched roof (as over an outdoor stage)

a band shell

5

: a way of behaving that hides one's feelings

coming out of one's shell

6

: a shell-bearing mollusk

7

: a narrow light racing boat rowed by one or more persons using long oars

8

a

: an object filled with an explosive to be shot from cannon

b

: a metal or paper case holding the explosive charge and shot or bullet used in small arms

shell adjective

shell

2 of 2 verb

1

a

: to remove from a natural enclosing cover (as a shell or husk) : shuck

shell peas

b

: to remove the grains from (as an ear of corn)

2

: to shoot shells at or upon

3

: to fall out of the pod or husk

4

: to collect shells (as from a beach)