yabby

noun

yab·​by ˈya-bē How to pronounce yabby (audio)
variants or yabbie
plural yabbies
: any of various burrowing Australian crayfishes (genus Cherax, especially C. destructor) that are used for food

Examples of yabby 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.
Suddenly, one of the females caught a yabby and proceeded to roll and shake it to death, like a tiny, furry crocodile. Helen Sullivan, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2020 Yet another threat faced by platypuses are yabby traps, also known as Opera House traps because of their shape. Helen Sullivan, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2020 Display cases also hold opalized freshwater crayfish gastroliths, or yabby buttons, which are found only in Lightning Ridge’s opal mines. Michelle Innis, New York Times, 5 July 2016

Word History

Etymology

Wemba-Wemba (Australian aboriginal language of Victoria) yabij

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yabby was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near yabby

Cite this Entry

“Yabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yabby. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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