rock crab

noun

any of several crabs that live along rocky beaches, especially those of the genus Cancer, as C. irroratus, of the eastern coast of North America, having the rear legs modified for running.

Origin of rock crab

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for rock crab

Historical Examples of rock crab

In the little hollows between rocks a rock-crab or a green-crab may be found on guard.
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