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

In addition to water, there are other fluoride exposure sources, including toothpaste, dental varnishes, and certain foods and beverages that are naturally high in the mineral like black tea, coffee, and shellfish. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2025

According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, its main exports are food products, particularly shellfish and fish. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 3 Apr. 2025

To prevent contamination from food, make sure fruits and vegetables are washed, and that shellfish is cooked to at least an internal temperature of 145 F. ABC News has reached out to Cunard Line for a comment. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2025

So steam some seafood in your kitchen, or throw some shellfish on the grill. —Maggie Griswold, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2025

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)