coconut crab

noun

Any of the species Birgus latro of large, terrestrial hermit crabs which live on the shores of the Indian Ocean and the central Pacific Ocean, feeding on fruits, nuts, seeds and coconut flesh.

Similar
palm thiefrobber crab
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Meanings

nouncoconut crab (plural coconut crabs)

plural coconut crabs

  1. Any of the species Birgus latro of large, terrestrial hermit crabs which live on the shores of the Indian Ocean and the central Pacific Ocean, feeding on fruits, nuts, seeds and coconut flesh.

    Synonyms: palm thief, robber crab

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of the species Birgus latro of large, terrestrial hermit crabs which live on the shores of the Indian Ocean and the central Pacific Ocean, feeding on fruits, nuts, seeds and coconut flesh.

Similar
palm thiefrobber crab
Also see
purse crab

Translations

Catalan cranc dels cocoters
  • cranc dels cocotersBirgus latro
Chinese Mandarin 椰子蟹
  • 椰子蟹 (yēzixiè)Birgus latro
Czech krab palmový
  • krab palmovýBirgus latro
Dutch klapperdief
  • klapperdiefBirgus latro
Esperanto kokoskrabo
  • kokoskraboBirgus latro
Finnish palmurosvo
  • palmurosvoBirgus latro
French crabe de cocotier
  • crabe de cocotierBirgus latro
German Palmendieb, Kokosdieb
  • PalmendiebBirgus latro
  • KokosdiebBirgus latro
  • KokosnussdiebBirgus latro
Hawaiian pāpaʻi niu
  • pāpaʻi niuBirgus latro
Hungarian pálmatolvaj
  • pálmatolvajBirgus latro
Indonesian ketam kenari
  • ketam kenariBirgus latro
Italian granchio del cocco, granchio latro
  • granchio del coccoBirgus latro
  • granchio latroBirgus latro
Japanese 椰子蟹, まっかん蟹
  • 椰子蟹 (yashigani)Birgus latro
  • まっかん蟹 (makkangani)Birgus latro
Korean 야자집게
  • 야자집게 (yajajipge)Birgus latro
Malay ketam kelapa
  • ketam kelapaBirgus latro
Polish krab palmowy
  • krab palmowyBirgus latro
Portuguese caranguejo-dos-coqueiros, ladrão-de-coco
  • caranguejo-dos-coqueirosBirgus latro
  • ladrão-de-cocoBirgus latro
Russian па́льмовый вор, коко́совый краб
  • па́льмовый вор (pálʹmovyj vor)Birgus latro
  • коко́совый краб (kokósovyj krab)Birgus latro
Spanish cangrejo de los cocoteros
  • cangrejo de los cocoterosBirgus latro
Vietnamese cua dừa
  • cua dừaBirgus latro
Cite this entry
APA

coconut crab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coconut%20crab

MLA

“coconut crab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coconut%20crab. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “coconut crab,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coconut%20crab.

Source: coconut crab on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.