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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Other crustaceans in the same arthropod order (Decapoda) but belonging to the infraorder Anomura, such as hermit crabs, king crabs, and porcelain crabs, generally move forward or backward.
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Manjishtha Bhattacharyya, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
Smaller critters — hermit crabs, lightning whelks and snails — skittered along the seafloor.
—Max Chesnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
One of Rocha’s favorite discoveries was a hermit crab that uses clam-like shells as its home.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
The land, the domain too of hermit crabs and fallen coconuts, is littered with shells.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2025
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Manjishtha Bhattacharyya, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
Smaller critters — hermit crabs, lightning whelks and snails — skittered along the seafloor.
—Max Chesnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
One of Rocha’s favorite discoveries was a hermit crab that uses clam-like shells as its home.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
The land, the domain too of hermit crabs and fallen coconuts, is littered with shells.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 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 10 Apr. 2026.
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