lobster

American  

[lob-ster] / ˈlɒb stər /

noun

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

Inflected Forms

noun

• lobsters
  plural
• lobster
  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

“It creates sticker shock in a way that steak or lobster may not,” says Eldridge.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Is it enough to merit the risk of an untested outsider with more than a few red flags, a talent for attracting bad press, and enough jagged edges to crack a lobster shell?

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

The agent craze has been fuelled by the sudden global popularity of OpenClaw, an agent tool known for its red lobster mascot.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Cimarusti said it was becoming more difficult to charge prices in his more casual restaurant that reflected the true cost of his burgers and lobster rolls.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

That’s like two lobster a week in each trap!

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

Related Words

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