shellfish
n. C / Un. sea animals that have a hard shell on the outside, such as crabs, shrimp, or oysters. Many people enjoy eating them as seafood, but some people are allergic to them.
n. an aquatic invertebrate with a shell, especially an edible mollusc or crustacean. Often used as a collective term for various species of sea life harvested for food.
I always order the grilled shellfish at this restaurant.
The chef prepares a rich stew filled with fresh shellfish caught by local fishermen that morning.
Marine biologists are monitoring the local shellfish populations to determine how rising ocean temperatures and acidification affect the development of their protective outer layers.
Inherited from Middle English schellefyssch, from Old English sċielfisċ. Equivalent to shell + fish.
Uncountable when referring to the food category in general; countable when referring to specific species or individual animals.