: any of numerous freshwater decapod crustaceans (especially families Astacidea, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae) resembling the lobster but usually much smaller
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The New Guinea crayfish discovery has also been tied to conservation.—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025 The species studied included fish, decapod crustaceans -- such as crabs, crayfishes and shrimps -- and odonates, such as dragonflies and damsel flies.—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 8 Jan. 2025 This unique invertebrate — and its leg-deficient relative, the centipede — is more closely related to lobsters, crayfish and shrimp, despite spending its days foraging in the leaf litter instead of on ocean floors.—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025 The species comes in two color forms: Blue form crayfish are a dark hue with orange joints and tails, while purple form crayfish are turquoise with purple spots and white along their joints and tails.—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for crayfish
Word History
Etymology
by folk etymology from Middle English crevis, from Anglo-French creveis, escreveice, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German krebiz crab — more at crab
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