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Glite Dictionary
crab-eating fox

crab-eating fox

9.4
A wild animal like a small dog from northern South America that eats crabs and small animals
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : zorro cangrejero
  • Researchers observed a crab-eating fox carrying a crab back to its den.

Examples

  • Unlike true foxes, the crab-eating fox often hunts for crustaceans along riverbanks.

  • The crab-eating fox is an adaptable predator found in South American grasslands and forests.

  • The crab-eating fox is native to South America.

  • Many crab-eating foxes live in coastal areas.

  • The crab-eating fox forages along the riverbanks, searching for crabs and small fish.

  • In the wetlands of South America, the crab-eating fox hunts for its favorite crustaceans.

  • We spotted a crab-eating fox digging in the sand to find buried shellfish during our trip to the coast.

Synonyms

Dusicyon cancrivorus
vscrab-eating fox
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wild dog from northern and central South America that eats crabs

is the common name for the same species
crab-eating dog
vscrab-eating fox
  • US
9.4

A wild dog that eats crabs and other water animals

is broader in diet including small land prey as well as aquatic food

Surface Forms

crab-eating fox singular
crab-eating foxes plural

Morphology

crab-eating + fox

The noun is compositionally transparent: 'crab-eating' reads as 'eating crabs' and modifies 'fox', so the phrase denotes a fox that eats crabs. This participial compound follows a common and predictable pattern (noun/participle + noun) that a B1 learner who knows 'crab', 'eat/ eating', and 'fox' can readily interpret.

Etymology

The name crab-eating fox paints a simple picture: it is a fox that eats crabs along rivers and coasts. So, the name is used for the wild South American animal that often feeds on crabs and other small animals.