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

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

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

I tried Kumamoto oysters here as part of a sprawling seafood tower — alongside snow crab, lobster tails, tuna tartare with seaweed salad and more — and they immediately became my new favorite variety.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

The dish appears in the same chapter as nonkosher oysters and lobster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Menu offerings include appetizers such as Dungeness crab cakes and lobster corn dogs, and entrées such as crispy chicken Milanese, honey miso glazed salmon and a signature Skywalker Ranch Wagyu burger.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

The moment I mentioned a lobster tank, my mother would have a conniption.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

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

Pulling alongside the Portland Head Light, a lighthouse dating to 1791, Martin yanked up a trap that held three shiny lobsters, and then demonstrated how to measure their shells with calipers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Split the lobsters lengthwise with a sharp, heavy knife, brush them with butter and grill them once your guests have arrived, since they cook very quickly.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

An "escape hatch" built into the side of pots is preventing so-called "bycatch" and allowing young lobsters, fish and other marine life to escape.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

He tossed them, still bound and soaking, into the bottom of the boat, where they wriggled uncomfortably, like a couple of bearded lobsters, and he rowed back to shore.

From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

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