crab-eating raccoon
- noun
- /ˈkræbˌiːtɪŋ ræˈkuːn/
- US
:
mapache cangrejero
- Researchers observed a group of crab-eating raccoons hunting for crustaceans along the shore.
Examples
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Unlike the North American raccoon, the crab-eating raccoon is often found near rivers and coastal areas.
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The crab-eating raccoon inhabits forests and mangroves throughout much of South America.
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The crab-eating raccoon is often found near rivers.
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Did you see a crab-eating raccoon at the lake?
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Researchers observed a group of crab-eating raccoons hunting for crustaceans along the shore.
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The crab-eating raccoon inhabits forests and mangroves throughout much of South America.
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Unlike the North American raccoon, the crab-eating raccoon is often found near rivers and coastal areas.
Synonyms
A South American raccoon that lives near rivers and eats crabs
Surface Forms
Morphology
crab-eating + raccoon
The phrase is compositionally transparent: the hyphenated modifier 'crab-eating' combines 'crab' and 'eating' to describe a raccoon that eats crabs, so a learner who knows the constituent words can infer the meaning. This modifier-noun pattern is a regular, cross-linguistic way to form descriptive compounds, making the expression immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Crab-eating raccoon comes from the animal's habit of catching crabs and eating them along rivers and coasts. So, the name simply describes this raccoon that 'lives near water' and often eats crabs.
