Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Maja

Maja

9.9
A group of crabs like spider crabs found in many seas
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Maja
  • While beachcombing, we found a large Maja crab hiding under a rock.

Examples

  • The marine biologist studied the Maja crabs during her research on coastal ecosystems.

  • Through the microscope, the intricate features of the Maja crab were revealed.

  • "Like one of Velazquez's majas?"

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The gondola drifted past in the water with the dark-clad woman seated across its bench in the position of the naked maja, one hand over her sex, flowers framed around her head, lips open to show her smile of long teeth.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

genus Maja
vsMaja
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of spider crabs with spiny shells found in many seas

is the broader genus of crabs found in many parts of the world

Compounds

Maja squinado
  • Specialized
9.9

A large crab with a spiny shell and long legs found in the Mediterranean Sea and nearby Atlantic waters

genus Maja
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of spider crabs with spiny shells found in many seas

Surface Forms

Maja singular
Majas plural

Etymology

Maja is the scientific name for a group of crabs and probably comes from the old personal name Maia, a myth figure who is also the source of the month 'May'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine scientists giving the crabs a person's name, so Maja is a name rather than a description of the animal.