horseshoe crab

noun

Any extinct or extant chelicerate in the order Xiphosura, actually more related to arachnids than true crabs.

Similar
Molucca crabxiphosuranking crabLimulus polyphemusXiphosurus polyphemus
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Meanings

nounhorseshoe crab (plural horseshoe crabs)

plural horseshoe crabs

  1. Any extinct or extant chelicerate in the order Xiphosura, actually more related to arachnids than true crabs.

    Synonyms: Molucca crab, xiphosuran

    1. especiallyAny extant xiphosuran in the family Limulidae.

      Synonyms: Molucca crab, xiphosuran, king crab

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny extinct or extant chelicerate in the order Xiphosura, actually more related to arachnids than true crabs.

Similar
Molucca crabxiphosuran

nounAny extant xiphosuran in the family Limulidae.

Similar
Molucca crabxiphosuranking crab

More synonyms by meaning

nounlarge marine arthropod of the Atlantic coast of North America having a domed carapace that is shaped like a horseshoe and a stiff pointed tail; a living fossil related to the wood louse

Similar
king crabLimulus polyphemusXiphosurus polyphemus
Broader
arthropod
Also see
king crabmolucca crab

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From horseshoe + crab, referencing this animal's horseshoe-like shape.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian мечоопашат рак
  • мечоопашат рак (mečoopašat rak)arthropod
Chinese Mandarin 鱟 /鲎, 馬蹄蟹 /马蹄蟹
  • 鱟 /鲎 (hòu)arthropod
  • 馬蹄蟹 /马蹄蟹 (mǎtíxiè)arthropod
  • 夫妻魚 /夫妻鱼 (fūqīyú)arthropod
Danish dolkehale
  • dolkehalearthropod
Esperanto hufumkrabo
  • hufumkraboarthropod
Finnish molukkirapu
  • molukkirapuarthropod
French limule
  • limulearthropod
German Pfeilschwanzkrebs
  • Pfeilschwanzkrebsarthropod
Hebrew זְנַב חֶרֶב
  • זְנַב חֶרֶב (znav ẖérev)arthropod
Japanese カブトガニ
  • カブトガニ (kabutogani)arthropod
Korean 투구게
  • 투구게 (tuguge)arthropod
Malay belangkas
  • belangkasarthropod
Polish mieczogon, ostrogon
  • mieczogonarthropod
  • ostrogonarthropod
Russian краб-подко́ва, мечехво́ст
  • краб-подко́ва (krab-podkóva)arthropod
  • мечехво́ст (mečexvóst)arthropod
Swedish dolksvans, hästskokrabba
  • dolksvansarthropod
  • hästskokrabbaarthropod
Thai แมงดา
  • แมงดา (mɛɛng-daa)arthropod
Turkish at nalı yengeci
  • at nalı yengeciarthropod
Vietnamese sam
  • samarthropod
Cite this entry
APA

horseshoe crab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/horseshoe%20crab

MLA

“horseshoe crab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/horseshoe%20crab. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “horseshoe crab,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/horseshoe%20crab.

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