seafood

American  

[see-food] / ˈsiˌfud /

noun

1. any fish or shellfish from the sea used for food.

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seafood British  

/ ˈsiːˌfuːd /

noun

1. edible saltwater fish or shellfish

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Etymology

Origin of seafood

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Explanation

Seafood refers to water-dwelling animals that people kill and eat, such as fish, shrimp, or even octopuses. Seafood is not what happens to your friend if you open your mouth while you’re chewing. Do you enjoy fish and chips? Fried clams? Tuna fish sandwiches? All of these qualify as seafood. It was once fairly common to think of larger sea creatures including whales and dolphins as seafood too, although fewer people eat these animals today. The term seafood can also be used for fish that live in lakes and rivers, rather than oceans; and edible seaweeds like kelp.

Example Sentences

There’s no standard definition of a “carnivore diet,” but it generally means only eating animal-based foods like meat, seafood, eggs and full-fat dairy.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

It features plenty of glistening seafood, market produce and local delicacies, alongside Tucci telling the story of a people for whom family and rituals hold communities together.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Adding anchovies, or any kind of tinned seafood, to pasta is steeped in tradition, dating back to 19th-century Italian cooking.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

Mariscos Jalisco sent out trays of shrimp tacos — a nod to the couple’s seafood origin story — but guests still beelined for the truck, forming a line down the block.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

One of the seafood workers—a huge man, dressed in an orange apron—throws an entire salmon across the counter, where it lands in another man’s arms with a wet smack.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day