shellfish
Americannoun
plural
shellfish,plural
shellfishesnoun
Etymology
Origin of shellfish
before 900; Middle English; Old English scilfisc. See shell, fish
Explanation
Use shellfish to refer to crustaceans and mollusks, especially the ones people commonly eat. Crabs, mussels, and shrimp are all shellfish. If you serve your guests a shellfish stew, they'll know it's full of creatures that originally had shells or hard exoskeletons. In most kitchens and restaurants, the term includes marine animals such as lobsters and oysters, and freshwater species like crayfish too. Fishery regulators only use shellfish for mollusks, including clams and mussels. The funny thing is that shellfish aren't fish at all — they're more closely related to arachnids and insects!
Vocabulary lists containing shellfish
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shellfish from some UK waters, currently banned in the EU, can be exported again under the deal.
From BBC • May 19, 2025
Munroe works out of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station's Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory in Port Norris, just around the corner from the processor.
From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2024
Shellfish were a particular worry, because in their case, unlike fish, we eat the entire animal—stomach, microplastics and all.
From National Geographic • May 8, 2023
The proposed projects support the Shellfish Strategic Initiative to reduce fecal pollution and improve marine water quality in Puget Sound, according to the Puget Sound National Estuary Program.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 20, 2023
And then they insult me—why, that very boy has been and shouted "Shellfish" through my keyhole many a time, I'll warrant!'
From The Giant's Robe by Anstey, F.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
