oyster crab
- noun
- /ˈɔɪstər kræb/
:
cangrejo de ostras
- You might occasionally find an oyster crab when opening fresh oysters.
Examples
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Marine biologists discovered a tiny oyster crab hidden inside the shell.
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The oyster crab is often found in the Gulf of Mexico.
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The oyster crab is considered a delicacy in some coastal cuisines.
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Look at the tiny oyster crab peeking out!
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Marine biologists discovered a tiny oyster crab hidden inside the shell.
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You might occasionally find an oyster crab when opening fresh oysters.
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The oyster crab is considered a delicacy in some coastal cuisines.
Synonyms
101
1.0
A sea animal with a flat shell, five pairs of legs, and front claws
A tiny soft crab that lives inside oysters
A very small soft crab that lives inside shellfish like oysters
Small crabs that live inside the shells of oysters or clams
Small soft crabs that live inside animals like clams
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'oyster crab' denotes a crab associated with oysters (i.e., a crab that lives in or on oysters), so a B1 learner who knows 'oyster' and 'crab' can infer this. Noun–noun compounds that indicate type or association are common in English and cross-linguistically, making the expression transparently interpretable even if the exact biological detail is new.
Etymology
Oyster crab gets its name from a clear picture: a tiny crab living inside an oyster's shell. That's why the name means 'a small crab that lives inside the shell of an oyster'.