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
Recent Examples on the Web
Land hermit crabs spend most of their lives on land and only rarely enter the water.
—
Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
In the video, a hermit crab scuttles amongst numerous shells before choosing one to move into.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Eventually our guide Shayne saw something far smaller than a turtle: a strawberry hermit crab poking its delicate claws out of a shell.
—Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 17 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, hermit crabs can struggle to find homes due to the over-collection of shells.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
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Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
In the video, a hermit crab scuttles amongst numerous shells before choosing one to move into.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Eventually our guide Shayne saw something far smaller than a turtle: a strawberry hermit crab poking its delicate claws out of a shell.
—Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 17 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, hermit crabs can struggle to find homes due to the over-collection of shells.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hermit crab
Cite this Entry
“Hermit crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermit%20crab. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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