crab
3 synonyms and 0 antonyms for crab, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A sea creature with a hard shell, pincers, and a sideways walk.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use crab
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English crabba, an ancient Germanic word for the shelled sea creature; the "complain" sense likely grew from the animal's irritable, snapping reputation.
Full origin of crab →Frequently asked questions
What does “crab” mean?
The word “crab” means a sea creature with a hard shell, pincers, and a sideways walk. In plain terms, the sea creature, or, informally, to complain.
How do you pronounce “crab”?
“Crab” is pronounced krab (/kɹæb/ in IPA).
How do you use “crab” in a sentence?
Here is “crab” used in a sentence: “We caught a bucket of crabs off the pier.”
What is another word for “crab”?
Words with a similar meaning to “crab” include crab apple.
What part of speech is “crab”?
Depending on how it is used, “crab” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “crab” come from?
The word “crab” comes from Old English. From Old English crabba, an ancient Germanic word for the shelled sea creature; the "complain" sense likely grew from the animal's irritable, snapping reputation.
Is “crab” a common word?
“Crab” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “crab” have?
“Crab” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sea creature with a hard shell, pincers, and a sideways walk.
What is the difference between crab as a verb meaning to complain and crab meaning to drift sideways?
When crab means to complain or grumble, it describes irritable speech, as in "he crabbed about the delay." When it describes movement, crab means to drift or move sideways off a straight course, a term especially used for aircraft flying at an angle into a crosswind to stay on their intended path.
Why do aircraft crab during landing?
Pilots deliberately crab an aircraft, pointing its nose slightly into a crosswind, to counteract the wind's sideways push and keep the plane tracking straight over the runway. Just before touchdown, the pilot typically straightens the aircraft to align the wheels with the runway.
Why does a crab walk sideways?
A crab's body shape and the structure of its legs make sideways movement more efficient than moving forward, since its jointed legs bend most easily in that direction. This sideways gait is so distinctive that it gave rise to the verb sense of "crabbing," meaning to move or drift sideways.