Seafood

Definition

Seafood refers to edible aquatic animals and plants harvested from marine environments, including fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables; it also denotes dishes prepared using these ingredients. The term is generally uncountable, though informally one may refer to various seafoods.

Parts of Speech

• Noun (uncountable)

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /ˈsiːˌfuːd/
• Respelling: SEE-food

British English

• IPA: /ˈsiː.fʊd/
• Respelling: SEE-food

Etymology

Early 19th century: from sea + food, originally referring to fish and shellfish consumed as food.

Derivatives

• seafoods (noun, informal plural)

Synonyms

• marine cuisine
• aquatic food

Antonyms

• terrestrial food

Usage

"We enjoyed a variety of fresh seafood at the coastal market."

"Her diet emphasizes lean proteins like seafood and legumes."

Related Terms

• Shellfish: Aquatic invertebrates such as mollusks and crustaceans.
• Crustacean: A class of arthropods including crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
• Mollusk: A phylum of invertebrates including clams, oysters, and squid.
• Sushi: Japanese dish featuring raw fish or other seafood.
• Marine biology: The study of life in saltwater environments.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• Edible aquatic animals and plants – organisms harvested from the sea or other saltwater habitats and used as food.
  • Example: "Salmon and scallops are popular types of seafood."
• Dishes prepared using seafood ingredients – culinary creations that feature one or more seafood items as the main components.
  • Example: "The restaurant’s signature seafood paella was rich with shrimp and mussels."