crustacean
noun
crus·ta·cean
ˌkrə-ˈstā-shən 
: any of a large class (Crustacea) of mostly aquatic mandibulate arthropods that have a chitinous or calcareous and chitinous exoskeleton, a pair of often much modified appendages on each segment, and two pairs of antennae and that include the lobsters, shrimp, crabs, wood lice, water fleas, and barnacles
crustacean
adjective
Examples of crustacean in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At a fishing port in Taiwan, researchers bought four giant crustaceans hauled in as bycatch by a trawling vessel in the South China Sea.
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Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
The spill has taken place in a productive fishing area that supports the largest crustacean fishery in Europe, with about £15 million of live lobster landed annually.
—Lauren Lowman, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
Gray seals are found in coastal waters across the North Atlantic Ocean and typically feast on fish, crustaceans, squid, octopus and sometimes seabirds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025
It was later adopted in English to refer specifically to the small, shrimp-like marine crustaceans that whales and other sea animals feed on.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crustacean
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Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
The spill has taken place in a productive fishing area that supports the largest crustacean fishery in Europe, with about £15 million of live lobster landed annually.
—Lauren Lowman, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
Gray seals are found in coastal waters across the North Atlantic Ocean and typically feast on fish, crustaceans, squid, octopus and sometimes seabirds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025
It was later adopted in English to refer specifically to the small, shrimp-like marine crustaceans that whales and other sea animals feed on.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crustacean
Cite this Entry
“Crustacean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crustacean. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crustacean
noun
crus·ta·cean
ˌkrəs-ˈtā-shən
: any of a large class of mostly water-dwelling arthropods (as lobsters, shrimps, crabs, wood lice, water fleas, and barnacles) having an exoskeleton of chitin or chitin and a compound of calcium
crustacean
adjective
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