noun
shellfish
SHEHL-fihsh
noun
1
An aquatic animal with a shell, such as a crab, mussel, or oyster, especially one eaten as food.
"The restaurant is known for its fresh shellfish platter."
How to Use Shellfish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA general food-and-fishing term covering shelled sea creatures like crab, lobster, mussels, and clams — despite the name, most aren't fish at all.
Common mistake
Shellfish aren't true fish biologically; the term is a culinary and everyday category, not a scientific one.
Common pairings
shellfish allergy
fresh shellfish
Word Forms
shellfish plural, shellfishes plural
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The restaurant is known for its fresh _____ platter.
Etymology
From Old English sċielfisċ, "shell" plus "fish."