crab spider

noun

: any of a family (Thomisidae) of spiders that resemble crabs in shape and in being able to walk forward, backward, and sideways see also giant crab spider

Examples of crab spider in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There are many kinds of spiders in our gardens, including crab spiders, cobweb spiders and orb weavers. — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026 Some types of crab spiders and the giant swallowtail caterpillar also sport white spots and are thought to be emulating the pasty-white urea component of bird excrement. — Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 13 Dec. 2023 With and without training, the mantises and crab spiders showed a significantly different response to the flies than to the wasps, and were much more cautious of lesser intermediate mimics than the birds had been. — Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 2 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crab spider was in 1855

Rhymes for crab spider

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Browse Nearby Words

crab reel locomotive
crab spider
crabstick
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Cite this Entry

“Crab spider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crab%20spider. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crab spider

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crab spider

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