shellfish
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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 heat has warmed the lagoons, boosting the growth of algae that cover the shellfish.
From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026
For the adventurous and industrious, from October to March, the town sells $50-a-week shellfish permits for recreational scalloping.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026
Commercial glucosamine supplements are often produced from materials such as shellfish shells or corn.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
Record winter rainfall is flushing pollution and sediment into Devon and Cornwall's coastal waters, raising risks to marine life, shellfish and potentially human health as conditions warm.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
But every day, whether I was on the headland or gathering shellfish on the rocks or working on my canoe, I watched for it.
From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
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.
