spider crab

noun

: any of a family (Majidae) of crabs with extremely long legs and nearly triangular bodies which they often cover with kelp

Examples of spider crab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These small tapas-like bites are often skewered with a toothpick and include everything from spider crab and seared foie gras to the classic Gilda (anchovy, olive, and pickled pepper). —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025

Japanese spider crabs the size of Labrador retrievers stalk a whale skeleton. —John Metcalfe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024

Octopi, spider crabs, urchins, and countless fish are already settling in. —Terry Ward, TIME, 25 July 2024

Monterey is famous for its kelp forests and the unique marine life that thrives in that ecosystem, like sea otters, spider crabs, nudibranchs, massive sea stars, and sea lions. —Outside Online, 24 July 2024

In our quest for Wild Wales, we were supposed to have been at the bottom of Cardigan Bay, snorkeling for spider crabs with James Lynch. —Tom Vanderbilt, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024

In the deep, 13-foot-wide giant spider crabs are usually the predators themselves. —Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024

Also on the menu were massive crab legs from Japanese spider crabs, bison burgers, ice cream and cheese straws. —David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 7 May 2023

What is a Japanese spider crab? —National Geographic, 16 Sep. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1710, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for spider crab

• taxicab
• ab
• cab
• dab
• drab
• fab
• gab
• grab
• jab
• lab
• mab
• nab

Kids Definition

spider crab

noun

: any of numerous crabs with very long legs and nearly triangular bodies