Illustration of hermit crab
hermit crab
noun
: any of numerous chiefly marine small decapod crustaceans (especially families Diogenidae, Paguridae, and Parapaguridae) having soft asymmetrical abdomens and occupying the empty shells of gastropods
Examples of hermit crab in a Sentence
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My fiancée Rita and I had poached camping in the Whitney Portal, usurping a spot that someone had reserved and abandoned like scrappy hermit crabs.
—
Jake Stern, Outside Online, 3 July 2024
The small hermit crab measures less than 1 centimeter, according to the university.
—Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Still, there were hermit crabs and lizards creeping among the sea grapes, as there had been for millions of years, and wild cotton along the edges of the cliffs.
—Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
See it After examining the male specimen, the scientists determined the creature was actually a new species of hermit crab: Trichopagurus spinibrachium, or the Dokutsuyawakudaya hermit crab.
—Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hermit crab 
Jake Stern, Outside Online, 3 July 2024
The small hermit crab measures less than 1 centimeter, according to the university.
—Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Still, there were hermit crabs and lizards creeping among the sea grapes, as there had been for millions of years, and wild cotton along the edges of the cliffs.
—Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
See it After examining the male specimen, the scientists determined the creature was actually a new species of hermit crab: Trichopagurus spinibrachium, or the Dokutsuyawakudaya hermit crab.
—Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hermit crab
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hermit crab.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Hermit crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermit%20crab. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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