soft-shell crab

American  

noun

1. a crab, especially the blue crab, that has recently molted and therefore has a soft, edible shell.

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soft-shell crab British  

noun

1. a crab, esp of the edible species Cancer pagurus, that has recently moulted and has not yet formed its new shell Compare hard-shell crab

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Etymology

Origin of soft-shell crab

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

I ordered a stir fry of crab and broken rice with greens and yam that came topped with a fried soft-shell crab drizzled with shito, a Ghanaian chili sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

A week into its opening, the buttermilk soft-shell crab slider is already one of the most talked-about bar noshes in the bar scene.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 18, 2022

It’s the reason today’s fried soft-shell crab and pan-roasted rockfish are superior to the already superb versions served there 10 years ago.

From New York Times • May 25, 2021

With a rustic-industrial aesthetic and wide windows overlooking the harbor, it’s a favorite for locally sourced seafood dishes like soft-shell crab BLTs and fried oyster po boys.

From Washington Post • Aug. 15, 2019

She took the damp bit of rubber—a wet overshoe, even if small and hallowed by associations, isn’t pretty—as Venus might have received a soft-shell crab from the hand of a fresh young merman.

From The House of a Thousand Candles by Nicholson, Meredith