crustacean

plural crustaceans

1. Any arthropod of the subphylum Crustacea, including lobsters, crabs, shrimp, barnacles and woodlice.
2. Any arthropod of the clade Pancrustacea, which includes hexapods in addition to traditional crustaceans.

comparative more crustacean · superlative most crustacean

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of the subphylum Crustacea.

   In cooperation with the Bureau of Fisheries he made several motion pictures of crustacean life.

   1940 March 22, “DR. BUCHANAN DIES NOTED ANESTHETIST; […]”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Jan 2026

   2 more examples

   It is feared that any major change in its chemistry will render many of these species extinct. Likewise, if the temperature is raised by factory discharge, predators now kept out of the lake by its frigidity will invade and annihilate many of the hundreds of crustacean varieties peculiar to its waters.

   1967 July 2, Walter Sullivan, “Science; Threat to the Treasures of the World's Oldest Lake”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Jan 2026

   Judging from the graphic evidence of crustacean carnage all around, it's a safe guess as to who's ahead in the ancient battle between hardshell and Homo sapiens.

   1987 July 17, Marianne Kyriakos, “THE BEST LITTLE CRABHOUSES IN WASHINGTON”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Jan 2026

   Synonyms: crustaceal