shell
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: shells · shelling
Sense 1
A hard external covering of an animal. — The calcareous or chitinous external covering of mollusks, crustaceans, and some other invertebrates.
Noun
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
A hard external covering of an animal. — Any mollusk having such a covering.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
To remove the outer covering or shell of something.
Verb
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 4
To bombard, to fire projectiles at, especially with artillery.
Verb
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “shell” mean?
A hard external covering of an animal. — The calcareous or chitinous external covering of mollusks, crustaceans, and some other invertebrates.
Is “shell” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.