soft-shell

[sawft-shel, soft-]

adjective

1. Also soft-shelled having a soft, flexible, or fragile shell, as a crab that has recently molted.

noun

1. a soft-shell animal, especially a soft-shell crab.

Word History and Origins

Origin of soft-shell¹

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

Townsend had a day earlier taken to Instagram to share her reaction to some of the food she saw being served at a restaurant, including dishes like braised soft-shell turtle with fish maw and dry pot bullfrog.

From BBC

We gawked at the sea creatures — lobsters, soft-shell turtles, wriggling live eels — while she filled the cart.

From Salon

A couple models are sufficiently protective that the wearers don’t have to practice with Guardian Caps, the soft-shell covers that fit over standard helmets to provide additional cushion and protection.

From Los Angeles Times

Like Ariari, one of Thursday Kitchen’s most popular dishes is a soft-shell crab—but rather than using red pepper-infused mayo, Hyun chooses to prepare the crab with wasabi remoulade, which in addition to mayo uses mustard, capers, and other herbs to enhance the flavor.

From Salon

He compared the texture of a cicada to that of a tiny soft-shell crab — a gentle crunch that yields soft meat — and described a mild woody flavor that develops during the years the insects spend growing very slowly underground, feeding on sap from tree roots.

From Seattle Times

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