: any of numerous freshwater decapod crustaceans (especially families Astacidea, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae) resembling the lobster but usually much smaller
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At other times of the year, traps will catch crayfish of all sizes.—Chad Mason, Outdoor Life, 3 June 2026 Previous studies have examined everything from crayfish to eel larvae.—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 Wildlife can be found in all directions, with kestrels up above, and intriguing smooth newts and white-clawed crayfish in the stream running through the heart of the farm.—Will Barker, TheWeek, 7 May 2026 Marshes that were normally dry inundated, expanding habitat for small fish and crayfish, which spiked their populations.—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crayfish
Word History
Etymology
by folk etymology from Middle English crevis, from Anglo-French creveis, escreveice, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German krebiz crab — more at crab