shellfish
Americannoun
noun
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
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for September 30–October 6, 2023
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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.
Advisories downriver, including for shellfish harvesting, have been lifted.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
The researchers say these findings offer practical guidance for restoring oyster reefs, not only in Australia but around the world where shellfish and coral ecosystems have been heavily damaged.
From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026
The recalled seafood was harvested by Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. and the Lummi Indian Business Council in Drayton Harbor in Whatcom County, Wash. The contaminated shellfish was sold between Feb. 13 and March 3.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
Supriyanto, 32, is a green mussel trader and once bought from local fishermen who harvested the shellfish offshore.
From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026
I sketched the details of my evening for the detective, telling him about my homework and the time I’d spent doing research on the effects of radiation on shellfish in the Pacific.
From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson
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.
