butterfly crab

noun

: a small shallow-water crab (Cryptolithodes typicus) of the Pacific coast of North America

Word History

Etymology

so called from the resemblance of its shell to the outspread wings of a butterfly

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Cite this Entry

“Butterfly crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butterfly%20crab. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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