lobster

noun

lob·​ster ˈläb-stər 

often attributive

1

: any of a family (Nephropidae and especially Homarus americanus) of large edible marine decapod crustaceans that have stalked eyes, a pair of large claws, and a long abdomen and that include species from coasts on both sides of the North Atlantic and from the Cape of Good Hope

2

: spiny lobster

lobsterlike

ˈläb-stər-ˌlīk 

adjective

Illustration of lobster

• lobster 1

Examples of lobster in a Sentence

I had lobster for dinner.

Recent Examples on the Web

For safari hunters, there’s the Platinum Surf and Turf platter, a $999 meal with a Wagyu tomahawk steak the size of a canoe paddle and a 28-ounce lobster tail. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025

Rose likes to add mushrooms and a little grated Emmentaler, while Charvet offers a lobster topping for an extra luxe finish. —Megan Zhang, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025

Other popular choices are the ravioli stuffed with lobster and served with tarragon pesto sauce and bisque foam; the seafood and basil risotto, and the puff pastry millefeuille filled with eggplant cream and coming with tomato panzanella salad and Espelette pepper. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025

Then customers started asking if the lobster could be hot. —Andy Wang, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English loppestre, from loppe spider

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing lobster

• hanging lobster claw
• lobster claw
• lobster pot
• lobster shift
• lobster thermidor
• lobster trap
• Norway lobster
• rock lobster
• spiny lobster

Rhymes for lobster

• mobster

Kids Definition

lobster

noun

lob·​ster ˈläb-stər 

: any of several large edible marine crustaceans with stalked eyes, a pair of large claws, and a long abdomen

also : spiny lobster