crayfish
n.n. a small, freshwater crustacean that looks like a tiny lobster. You often see them in rivers or lakes, and some people eat them as food.
n. a small freshwater crustacean of the family Cambaridae, resembling a lobster. Often used in culinary contexts to refer to the edible species of the genus Procambarus.
The crayfish hid under the rocks in the river.
We spent the afternoon catching crayfish in the local stream and then cooked them for dinner.
Ecologists are concerned that the introduction of invasive crayfish species is disrupting the delicate balance of the native aquatic ecosystem by outcompeting local fish for resources.
Alteration (by folk etymological influence of fish) of Middle English crevis (whence modern dialectal crevis), from Old French crevice ("crayfish"; > Modern French: écrevisse), from Frankish krebitja (“crayfish”), diminutive of Frankish krebit (“crab”), from Proto-Germanic krabitaz (“crab, cancer”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European gerbʰ-, *grebʰ- (“to scratch, crawl”), or from a substrate word folk-etymologically influenced by this root. Akin to Old High German krebiz (Modern German Krebs (“crustacean, crab, crayfish”)), Middle Low German krēvet (“crab, crayfish”), Dutch kreeft (“crayfish, lobster”), Old English crabba (“crab”). More at crab. Doublet of crevette, crevis, and Krebs.