Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
American crayfish

American crayfish

4.5
Large freshwater animal like a small lobster from eastern North America that lives in rivers and streams
  • noun
  • /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈkreɪfɪʃ/
  • US
translation icon : cangrejo de río americano
  • Researchers studied the habitat preferences of the American crayfish in local streams.

Examples

  • The American crayfish has become invasive in some European rivers.

  • Many anglers use traps to catch American crayfish for bait or food.

  • The American crayfish is often found in rivers.

  • Have you ever seen an American crayfish?

  • Many anglers use traps to catch American crayfish for bait or food.

  • Researchers studied the habitat preferences of the American crayfish in local streams.

  • The American crayfish has become invasive in some European rivers.

Surface Forms

American crayfish singular
American crayfishes plural

Morphology

American + crayfish

The meaning 'a crayfish species from America' is directly and compositionally built from 'American' (of or from the United States) + 'crayfish' (a freshwater crustacean), so a learner who knows both words can infer the referent. This adjective+noun origin/species pattern is a common, literal construction cross-linguistically and is therefore transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

American crayfish simply names a crayfish from America; imagine a small, lobster-like animal with big claws living in rivers. So, the name means 'a large crayfish that lives in eastern North America'.