shellfish

[shel-fish]

See more synonyms for shellfish on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural (especially collectively) shell·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) shell·fish·es.

an aquatic animal having a shell, as the oyster and other mollusks and the lobster and other crustaceans.

Origin of shellfish

before 900; Middle English; Old English scilfisc. See shell, fish

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for shellfish

clam, crustacean, mollusk, snail, scallop, conch, crawfish, prawn, shrimp, lobster, mussel, oyster, barnacle, whelk, piddock, crayfish

Examples from the Web for shellfish

Contemporary Examples of shellfish

Eat: The area is renowned for its cuisine, especially fish, shellfish, hearty rice dishes, and stews.
Nine Amazing Places To Skinny Dip Around The World
Erin Cunningham
September 21, 2013
However, the Spanish government says the cement blocks impaired Spanish fishermen from trolling the same waters for shellfish.
Between Gibraltar and a Hard Place
Barbie Latza Nadeau
August 7, 2013
This disease is caused by naturally occurring toxins that are found in the tissue of some shellfish.
Necrotizing Fasciitis, Blinding Larvae & More Scary Diseases
Casey Schwartz
May 18, 2012
Blocks of ice were brought in and carved into a buffet table, from which an extravagant array of shellfish was served.
Nicolas Cage, Compulsive Spender
Jacob Bernstein
November 3, 2009
It smells like you're at sea: pure iodine and shellfish (it's amazing).
The Official Beverage of France
Katie Workman
August 4, 2009

Historical Examples of shellfish

And she mustn't let any of the Shellfish gang see her in that dress.
They of the High Trails
Hamlin Garland
This purple robe, but sheep's hairs, dyed with the blood of a shellfish.
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius
The people gathered all the shellfish they could find at low tide.
Strange Stories from History for Young People
George Cary Eggleston
They would most likely be able to get shellfish from the rocks, which would be an improvement on the junk.
The Three Admirals
W.H.G. Kingston
“I have brought off some shellfish,” remarked Master Trench.
The Crew of the Water Wagtail
R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for shellfish

shellfish

noun plural -fish or -fishes

any aquatic invertebrate having a shell or shell-like carapace, esp such an animal used as human food. Examples are crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters and molluscs such as oysters

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for shellfish

also shell-fish, Old English scylfiscas (plural); see shell (n.) + fish (n.).