coconut crab
noun
: a large burrowing land crab (Birgus latro) that is widely distributed about islands of the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans, has a varied omnivorous diet that includes coconuts, and possesses an oily flesh which is esteemed as a local delicacy
Examples of coconut crab in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Car Nicobar Island, coconut crabs faced both of these threats.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Cravalho may be back, and the Rock may be back, and while the David Bowie–esque coconut crab isn’t back, there is a giant non-singing clam with lots of eyes and tentacles that the characters have to navigate their way through.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024
He and Matangi are joined by the giant coconut crab Tamatoa (voiced again by Jermaine Clement), whom audiences will remember as a villain with an outstanding singing voice from the original movie.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Lively profiles of the pangolin, the golden mole, the coconut crab and other critters in danger of disappearing from this planet.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
The team’s mascot is a coconut crab named Kenny, who during my recent visit was busy molting under the soil of his enclosure.
—Darren Incorvaia, New York Times, 28 May 2024
Ours pointed out fluffy booby hatchlings in the low branches of trees on one motu, and showed us up close the massive coconut crabs whose kind is coming back from the vanishing point.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
The coconut crabs contain hazardous levels of cesium.
—Pete McKenzie, New York Times, 3 May 2023
Set on the fictional island of Motunui, Moana starred the voice talents of Auli’i Cravalho as Moana, Rachel House as Grandma Tala, Jemaine Clement as the villainous coconut crab Tamatoa, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Temuera Morrison as Tui and Alan Tudyk as Heihei the rooster.
—Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Cravalho may be back, and the Rock may be back, and while the David Bowie–esque coconut crab isn’t back, there is a giant non-singing clam with lots of eyes and tentacles that the characters have to navigate their way through.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024
He and Matangi are joined by the giant coconut crab Tamatoa (voiced again by Jermaine Clement), whom audiences will remember as a villain with an outstanding singing voice from the original movie.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Lively profiles of the pangolin, the golden mole, the coconut crab and other critters in danger of disappearing from this planet.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
The team’s mascot is a coconut crab named Kenny, who during my recent visit was busy molting under the soil of his enclosure.
—Darren Incorvaia, New York Times, 28 May 2024
Ours pointed out fluffy booby hatchlings in the low branches of trees on one motu, and showed us up close the massive coconut crabs whose kind is coming back from the vanishing point.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
The coconut crabs contain hazardous levels of cesium.
—Pete McKenzie, New York Times, 3 May 2023
Set on the fictional island of Motunui, Moana starred the voice talents of Auli’i Cravalho as Moana, Rachel House as Grandma Tala, Jemaine Clement as the villainous coconut crab Tamatoa, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Temuera Morrison as Tui and Alan Tudyk as Heihei the rooster.
—Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Coconut crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coconut%20crab. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share