crustacean
noun
crus·ta·cean
| \ ËkrÉ-ËstÄ-shÉn
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Definition of crustacean
: any of a large class (Crustacea) of mostly aquatic mandibulate arthropods that have a chitinous or calcareous and chitinous exoskeleton, a pair of often much modified appendages on each segment, and two pairs of antennae and that include the lobsters, shrimp, crabs, wood lice, water fleas, and barnacles
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Examples of crustacean in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Isotope ratios in fossil bones suggest that Neanderthals ate fish in Western Europe, mollusks along the Mediterranean and Iberian coasts, and marine mammals and crustaceans in western Iberia. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Neanderthals suffered from a veritable epidemic of swimmerâs ear," 19 Aug. 2019 The ocean serves as a vast factory for manufacturing life, with plankton nourishing crustaceans and small fish, which in turn support marine mammals, seabirds, sharks and tuna. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Research cruise off California finds life lacking in parts of the ocean," 5 Aug. 2019 Hunter speculates that crinoid rafts could have ferried additional stowaways including plants, bryozoans and crustaceans. — Raleigh Mcelvery, Smithsonian, "Ancient Sea Life May Have Hitched Across Oceans on Giant Living Rafts," 12 Aug. 2019 Here are all the details Fast facts about lobsters Lobsters are considered marine crustaceans along with shrimp, krill and barnacles. — Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Lobster Fest indulges shellfish lovers for 3 days, while local restaurants feed the craving all year," 7 Aug. 2019 Every summer, recreational divers take to Floridaâs waters on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July for first pickings of the delectable crustaceans before the official, and commercial, hunting season runs Aug. 6 to March 31. — Linda Trischitta, sun-sentinel.com, "Diver who died is grim reminder of lobster miniseasonâs dangers," 25 July 2019 However, the rash-causing, itch-inducing jellyfish larvae are not be confused with the small, parasitic crustaceans which feed on fish to survive (read: actual sea lice), according to the Divers Alert Network. — Brittany Brown, baltimoresun.com, "Sea lice have been stinging at Virginia Beach. Is Ocean City next?," 13 July 2019 Researchers canât dump a bunch of microplastic out there and say, Aha, look whatâs happening to these fish and these algae and these crustaceans. — Matt Simon, WIRED, "How Remote Lakes Could Help Unravel the Mysteries of Microplastic," 1 July 2019 And monster crustaceans do indeed lurk in the interior: crabs 3-feet broad, with claws as powerful as the jaws of an alligator. — Peter Keough, BostonGlobe.com, "Trouble in paradise, forgotten vets, remembering Tiananmen," 27 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crustacean.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for crustacean
crustacean
noun
English Language Learners Definition of crustacean
technical
: a type of animal (such as a crab or lobster) that has several pairs of legs and a body made up of sections that are covered in a hard outer shell
See the full definition for crustacean in the English Language Learners Dictionary
crustacean
noun
crus·ta·cean
| \ ËkrÉs-ËtÄ-shÉn
\
\
Kids Definition of crustacean
: any of a large group of mostly water animals (as crabs, lobsters, and shrimps) with a body made of segments, a tough outer shell, two pairs of antennae, and limbs that are jointed
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