crayfish

noun

cray·​fish ˈkrā-ˌfish 

1

: any of numerous freshwater decapod crustaceans (especially families Astacidea, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae) resembling the lobster but usually much smaller

2

: spiny lobster

Illustration of crayfish

• crayfish 1

Examples of crayfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Roving like hungry jackals, smallmouth bass will move down and along drop-offs, hunting for the holdout crayfish, leeches, and insects along their way. —Kubie Brown, Outdoor Life, 3 Oct. 2024

The fact that these crayfish tend to reproduce inside their burrows with their relatives would help the trait persist generation after generation. —Byhumberto Basilio, science.org, 10 July 2024

At night in the Appalachian Mountains, the beam of Zackary Graham’s headlight illuminates hundreds of crayfish trudging through mud. —Byhumberto Basilio, science.org, 10 July 2024

Following the zap, the crayfish were placed into separate tanks which had darker and lighter areas. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from Middle English crevis, from Anglo-French creveis, escreveice, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German krebiz crab — more at crab

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing crayfish

• sea crayfish

Kids Definition

crayfish

noun

cray·​fish ˈkrā-ˌfish 

1

: any of numerous freshwater crustaceans that are related to but usually much smaller than the lobster

2

: spiny lobster