Abalone is a sea snail with a thick, ear-shaped shell. People eat the firm, slightly chewy meat, and the inside of the shell shines with mother-of-pearl, so the shells are also used for decoration and buttons. In many coastal places it is a prized, expensive food — at Chinese banquets it is a luxury dish, often dried and then slowly cooked. Divers take it off rocks in cold water; because it is slow-growing and easy to overfish, some kinds are now protected or farmed. You will see the English word on menus, in seafood shops, and in nature programmes. It names this one animal, not shellfish in general.