noun
Sea animals such as crabs, shrimp, oysters, and clams, often eaten as food.
I'm allergic to shellfish, especially shrimp.
Common phrases & grammar
shellfish allergy · eat shellfish
American English
How to pronounce shellfish
nounB1
SHEHLfihsh
/ˈʃɛl.fɪʃ/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Sea animals such as crabs, shrimp, oysters, and clams, often eaten as food.
What to listen for
Say shellfish with the main stress on the first part: /ˈʃɛɫ.fɪʃ/. In careful speech, you may also hear a little extra emphasis on the second part: /ˈʃɛɫˌfɪʃ/.
Meanings & examples
Related words & forms
The plural is usually shellfish, not shellfishes.