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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
Other animals taking up temporary shelter include: moon jellies, six snakes, three lizards, three turtles, two alligators, two toads and a hermit crab.
—Kathryn Varn, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024
And so the story goes, filled with all manner of quirky and hysterical, including a bus that's powered by gerbils, a dean of students who's a hermit crab, and a bold mission to save the town of Antiquarium from an evil cabal of nefarious mad scientists.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 4 Oct. 2024
There are hermit crabs, lizards and gumtree snakes.
—Marylou Costa, Contributor, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2024
My fiancée Rita and I had poached camping in the Whitney Portal, usurping a spot that someone had reserved and abandoned like scrappy hermit crabs.
—Jake Stern, Outside Online, 3 July 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1735, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near hermit crab
Cite this Entry
“Hermit crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermit%20crab. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
hermit crab
noun
: any of various small crabs that occupy empty mollusk shells
More from Merriam-Webster on hermit crab
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hermit crab
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