shellfish
Americannoun
plural
shellfish,plural
shellfishesnoun
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.
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
If the person asks you to explain how it works, just pretend to trip, then throw yourself into the shrimp tower, yell something about a shellfish allergy, and run.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
These loaf-shaped pots, made using a frame covered in netting, are normally used for catching shellfish such as crabs and langoustines.
From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025
Home of mice and damp and the stink of stranded shellfish, as if a huge tide swept in decades ago and took its time draining away.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
