lobster

American  

[lob-ster] / ˈlɒb stər /

noun

• lobster,
  plural
• lobsters
  plural

1. any of various large, edible, marine, usually dull-green, stalk-eyed decapod crustaceans of the family Homaridae, especially of the genus Homarus, having large, asymmetrical pincers on the first pair of legs, one used for crushing and the other for cutting and tearing: the shell turns bright red when cooked.

2. spiny lobster.

3. any of various similar crustaceans, as certain crayfishes.

4. the edible meat of these animals.

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lobster British  

/ ˈlɒbstə /

noun

1. any of several large marine decapod crustaceans of the genus Homarus, esp H. vulgaris, occurring on rocky shores and having the first pair of limbs modified as large pincers

2. any of several similar crustaceans, esp the spiny lobster

3. the flesh of any of these crustaceans, eaten as a delicacy

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lobster
  plural
• lobsters
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of lobster

before 1000; Middle English lopster, Old English loppestre literally, spidery creature ( loppe spider ( see lob ¹) + -stre -ster ); cf. lop ¹

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Explanation

A lobster is a hard-shelled animal that lives in salt water and has two big front claws, or pincers. People who are familiar with red cooked lobsters might be surprised to see that when they're alive they are brown, gray, or even blue. Lobsters are large crustaceans, which means they're related to shrimp, crabs, crawfish, and even barnacles. They live and feed on the bottom of the ocean, crawling on their ten legs and eating fish, worms, and sea plants. As a food, lobster is considered a delicacy today — although before the mid-19th century, it was thought of as food for poor people and prisoners in coastal New England.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lobster lobsters

Jordan’s lobster napkin cuff holder at the dining table in her home.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Some derided these savers for whining about good fortune: “My steak is too juicy and my lobster is too buttery.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

She has seen formats incorporating sandwiches, hot dogs and pizzas, and toppings ranging from Nashville Hot chicken and bacon strips to elote and lobster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The waters around Sark are home to species including European spiny lobster, rays, catsharks, octopus and pink sea fans.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Even after Mom died, there had always been lobster dinners in the summer, though this summer had been different.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

They were J.Crew socks: tiny lobsters, reindeer, tasteful little acts of rebellion occurring mostly below the trouser cuff.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Some specimens preserve flap-like structures on the abdomen resembling features seen in modern crustaceans such as lobsters, raising the possibility that the giant scorpion could move between water and land.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

Working boats are one of the best ways to see Maine’s coastline—and to even help catch some lobsters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Authorities ultimately seized 34 lobsters, including several egg-bearing females, that were later returned to the ocean.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Fiddler crabs bubbled and sputtered in their holes in the sand, and in the shallows little lobsters popped in and out of their tiny homes in the rubble and sand.

From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck

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Related Words

• clam
• conch
• crawfish
• crustacean
• mollusk
• mussel
• oyster
• prawn
• scallop
• shrimp
• snail

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