Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

lady crab

noun

Definition of lady crab

1 : a brightly spotted swimming crab (Ovalipes ocellatus) that is very common on the sandy shores of the Atlantic coast of the U.S.
2 : a crab (Portunus puber) of the English coasts that is closely related and similar to the American lady crab

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of lady crab

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about lady crab

Statistics for lady crab

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for lady crab

The first known use of lady crab was in 1844

See more words from the same year

Comments on lady crab

What made you want to look up lady crab? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

substantive

important, real, or meaningful

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games