English Meaning & Definitions
An edible aquatic animal with a shell, such as a mollusk (like clam, oyster, or mussel) or a crustacean (like crab, lobster, or shrimp).
- “She is allergic to shellfish and must avoid shrimp and lobster.”
- “The coastal restaurant is famous for its fresh shellfish platters.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “shellfish”.
Derived from Middle English 'schelfish', a compound of 'shell' (from Old English 'sciell', meaning husk, scale, or shell) and 'fish' (from Old English 'fisc'). Originally used broadly to describe any aquatic animal with a shell, though biologically many are invertebrates (such as mollusks and crustaceans) rather than true fish.
Think of it literally as a 'fish' that lives inside a 'shell'.
Frequently Asked Questions About “shellfish”
1. What is the meaning of “shellfish” in English?
In English, shellfish (noun) is defined as: “An edible aquatic animal with a shell, such as a mollusk (like clam, oyster, or mussel) or a crustacean (like crab, lobster, or shrimp).”.
2. How do you use “shellfish” in a sentence?
“She is allergic to shellfish and must avoid shrimp and lobster.”
3. What are English synonyms of “shellfish”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “shellfish”?
Derived from Middle English 'schelfish', a compound of 'shell' (from Old English 'sciell', meaning husk, scale, or shell) and 'fish' (from Old English 'fisc'). Originally used broadly to describe any aquatic animal with a shell, though biologically many are invertebrates (such as mollusks and crustaceans) rather than true fish.
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