yabby

noun

yab·​by ˈya-bē How to pronounce yabby (audio)
variants or yabbie
plural yabbies
: any of various burrowing Australian crayfishes (genus Cherax, especially C. destructor) that are used for food

Examples of yabby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Suddenly, one of the females caught a yabby and proceeded to roll and shake it to death, like a tiny, furry crocodile. Helen Sullivan, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2020 Yet another threat faced by platypuses are yabby traps, also known as Opera House traps because of their shape. Helen Sullivan, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2020 Display cases also hold opalized freshwater crayfish gastroliths, or yabby buttons, which are found only in Lightning Ridge’s opal mines. Michelle Innis, New York Times, 5 July 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yabby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Wemba-Wemba (Australian aboriginal language of Victoria) yabij

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yabby was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near yabby

Cite this Entry

“Yabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yabby. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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