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land crab

American  

noun

  1. any of several crabs, especially of the family Gecarcinidae, that live chiefly upon land, returning to the sea to breed.


land crab British  

noun

  1. any of various crabs, esp of the tropical family Gecarcinidae, that are adapted to a partly terrestrial life

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of land crab

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ascension Island has a wealth of species native to the island that have been affected by plastic pollution, such as the land crab, frigate bird and various species of sharks, turtles, fish and seabirds.

From BBC • Nov. 16, 2022

The largest land animal was a variety of land crab.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2016

A land crab dinner costs $10 in May and June, but up to $15 in the winter.

From Washington Post • Oct. 14, 2015

Ultimately, most seeds were consumed by agoutis—or by the occasional land crab, squirrel or spiny rat.

From Scientific American • Jul. 16, 2012

I went close up to the tree, and saw a large land crab on its way down the trunk.

From Swiss Family Robinson in Words of One Syllable Adapted from the Original by Wyss, Johann David

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