Cancridae

plural noun

Can·​cri·​dae

ˈkaŋkrəˌdē

: a large family of crabs (tribe Brachyura) that are nearly cosmopolitan in distribution and include many of the best-known edible crabs see cancer sense 5

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Cancri-, Cancer, type genus + -idae

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!