noun / verb
crab
KRAB/kræb/
A broad-shelled crustacean with pincers.
A crab scuttles across the wet sand with its pincers raised.
Etymology
Old English crabba already named the crustacean. Related Germanic verbs mean “scratch” or “claw,” providing a useful connection between the animal's name and its pincers.
In context
hard shelled animal that might have claws like a crab
More examples
- Several small crabs hide beneath the rocks.
- She adds fresh crab to the soup.
- We crab from the dock every summer.
Forms
crab · crabs · crabbed · crabbing
crabber noun — A person who catches crabs.
Similar words
- crustacean
- A broader animal group including crabs, shrimp, and lobsters.
- shellfish
- A broader term for shelled aquatic animals, especially as food.