fiddler crab

noun

: any of several genera (such as Austruca, Leptuca, or Uca) of burrowing crabs in which the male has one claw that is greatly enlarged

Illustration of fiddler crab

Illustration of fiddler crab

Examples of fiddler crab 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.
Along the way, pause at shallow tide pools to spot fiddler crabs scuttling in the surf. — New York Times, 31 July 2025 This little robot was deployed on a mudflat along with fiddler crabs in southern Portugal. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2025 During those precious months, anything from a fiddler crab to a minnow was cause for excitement, our time with them so abundant that there was no need to tally or keep track. — Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026 In one of the first scenes, Roz learns to scrabble up a cliff by copying the movements of a fiddler crab (which is immediately swiped by a seagull). — Elvia Wilk, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for fiddler crab

Word History

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fiddler crab was in 1843

Rhymes for fiddler crab

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Browse Nearby Words

fiddler beetle
fiddler crab
fiddlestick
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

fiddler crab

noun
: a burrowing crab of which the male has one claw much larger than the other

More from Merriam-Webster on fiddler crab

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fiddler crab

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