lobster

American  

[lob-ster] / ˈlɒb stər /

noun

plural

lobster,

plural

lobsters

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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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

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

Red on one side, black on the other — a rare two-colored lobster is spared the kettle.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

"The lobster roll is gone. In large part because of us."

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

The dinner’s main course — prime beef and Maine lobster — had not been served.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

It’s the same logic that turned lobster from prison food into a luxury, or quinoa from a staple into a “superfood.”

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

But by rights we should be eating fresh cod and lobster, only you need a boat to catch ’em.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick

Related Words

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