crabeater seal

noun

crab·​eat·​er seal ˈkrab-ˌē-tər- How to pronounce crabeater seal (audio)
: an Antarctic hair seal (Lobodon carcinophaga) that feeds on krill and lives and breeds on pack ice

called also crabeater

Examples of crabeater seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Going with the Floe by Tamara Stubbs While on a nine-week expedition in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, photographer Tamara Stubbs of the United Kingdom spotted these two crabeater seals taking a nap. — Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2024 Platinum blond crabeater seals lounged on divans of drifting ice, basking in the sun. — Kate Wong, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crabeater seal was in 1913

Rhymes for crabeater seal

See All Rhymes for crabeater seal

Browse Nearby Words

crab claw
crabeater seal
crab-eating fox
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crabeater seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crabeater%20seal. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on crabeater seal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crabeater seal

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All