Hermit crab

Hermit crab
Hermit Her"mit, n. [OE. ermite, eremite, heremit, heremite, F. hermite, ermite, L. eremita, Gr. ?, fr. ? lonely, solitary. Cf. {Eremite}.] 1. A person who retires from society and lives in solitude; a recluse; an anchoret; especially, one who so lives from religious motives. [1913 Webster]

He had been Duke of Savoy, and after a very glorious reign, took on him the habit of a hermit, and retired into this solitary spot. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

2. A beadsman; one bound to pray for another. [Obs.] ``We rest your hermits.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. (Cookery) A spiced molasses cookie, often containing chopped raisins and nuts. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{Hermit crab} (Zo["o]l.), a marine decapod crustacean of the family {Pagurid[ae]}. The species are numerous, and belong to many genera. Called also {soldier crab}. The hermit crabs usually occupy the dead shells of various univalve mollusks. See Illust. of {Commensal}.

{Hermit thrush} (Zo["o]l.), an American thrush ({Turdus Pallasii}), with retiring habits, but having a sweet song.

{Hermit warbler} (Zo["o]l.), a California wood warbler ({Dendroica occidentalis}), having the head yellow, the throat black, and the back gray, with black streaks. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hermit crab — Hermit crabs Temporal range: 136–0 Ma …   Wikipedia

  • hermit crab — hermit .crab n a kind of ↑crab that lives in the empty shells of other sea creatures …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hermit crab — hermit ,crab noun count a type of CRAB with a soft body that lives in the empty shells of other SHELLFISH …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • hermit crab — n. any of various crabs (esp. family Paguridae) that have asymmetrical, soft abdomens and live in the empty shells of certain mollusks, as snails …   English World dictionary

  • hermit crab — any of numerous crabs, esp. of the genera Pagurus and Eupagurus, that protect their soft uncovered abdomen by occupying the castoff shell of a univalve mollusk. [1725 35] * * * Any crab (families Paguridae and Coenobitidae) that uses empty shells …   Universalium

  • hermit crab — noun small soft bodied marine crustaceans living in cast off shells of gastropods • Hypernyms: ↑decapod crustacean, ↑decapod • Member Holonyms: ↑Pagurus, ↑genus Pagurus * * * noun, pl ⋯ crabs [count] : a type of crab that lives in the empty shell …   Useful english dictionary

  • hermit crab — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms hermit crab : singular hermit crab plural hermit crabs a type of crab with a soft body that lives in the empty shells of other shellfish …   English dictionary

  • hermit crab — noun A type of crab species which salvages empty seashells or other portable objects to permanently shelter and protect their soft abdomens …   Wiktionary

  • hermit crab — n. crab that has no hard shell that lives in empty seashells of gastropods …   English contemporary dictionary

  • hermit crab — noun a crab with a soft abdomen, which lives in a cast off mollusc shell for protection. [Superfamily Paguroidea: many species.] …   English new terms dictionary

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