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

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine major food allergens in the U.S. are eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, Crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts and peanuts. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025

Omega-3 supplements may include fish oil from shellfish, which is a common allergen. —Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 18 Mar. 2025

There are more than 61,000 acres of shellfish farms under cultivation in the state along Long Island Sound. —Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2025

Climate change is also increasing the frequency of vibrio blooms, a flesh-eating bacteria found in seawater that infects people through cuts or by eating raw shellfish. —Laura Paddison, CNN, 17 Mar. 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)