crustacean

noun

crus·ta·cean | \ ˌkrə-ˈstā-shən

Definition of crustacean

: any of a large class (Crustacea) of mostly aquatic mandibulate arthropods that have a chitinous or calcareous and chitinous exoskeleton, a pair of often much modified appendages on each segment, and two pairs of antennae and that include the lobsters, shrimp, crabs, wood lice, water fleas, and barnacles

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The Adélie penguins that live across the coast of Antarctica and nearby islands love to eat tiny pinkish crustaceans called krill. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "You can join the scientific quest to track penguin poop from space. It could help protect the species.," 12 Dec. 2018 The snailfish diet includes of amphipods, tiny crustaceans which are known to hold microplastics. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Discover Trippy New Translucent Fish at the Bottom of the Ocean," 10 Sep. 2018 But that’s not stopping a group of scientists, fishermen, chefs and others from getting together in Maine to try to brainstorm uses for the pesky crustaceans. — Washington Post, "How to slow an invasive species? Turn it into gourmet food," 6 June 2018 Previously, scientists have tried to capture marine life using nets, which were effective for catching fish and crustaceans, but shredded delicate forms like jellyfish. — Laura Yan, Popular Mechanics, "This Origami Inspired Claw Will Gently Fold Around Jellyfish," 22 July 2018 But this may not be the worst thing in the world: For many celestial crustaceans, birthdays can be quite anxiety-inducing. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "What August's Cancer Horoscope Means for You," 30 July 2018 These silent killers wrap themselves around reefs and claiming the lives of millions of marine creatures great and small, from sponges and tiny crustaceans to dolphins, sharks, and whales. — Elena Bectoros, The Christian Science Monitor, "Divers help to remove abandoned, destructive 'ghost' nets," 8 June 2018 Temperatures in the Arctic have risen faster than anywhere else in the world, creating more open water that is apparently improving conditions for the tiny krill and other crustaceans the bowheads eat, scientists said. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Bowhead whales, dwellers of icy seas, enjoy steady growth off Alaska in the age of climate change," 13 May 2018 And all of it is prime estuarine habitat supporting finfish, crabs, crustaceans and other marine life. — Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle, "Cow Trap Lake Project a success on multiple levels," 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crustacean.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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10 Jan 2019

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The first known use of crustacean was in 1835

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More Definitions for crustacean

crustacean

noun

English Language Learners Definition of crustacean

technical : a type of animal (such as a crab or lobster) that has several pairs of legs and a body made up of sections that are covered in a hard outer shell

See the full definition for crustacean in the English Language Learners Dictionary

crustacean

noun

crus·ta·cean | \ ˌkrəs-ˈtā-shən

Kids Definition of crustacean

: any of a large group of mostly water animals (as crabs, lobsters, and shrimps) with a body made of segments, a tough outer shell, two pairs of antennae, and limbs that are jointed