Lobster

Lobster
Lobster Lob"ster, n. [AS. loppestre, lopystre prob., corrupted fr. L. locusta a marine shellfish, a kind of lobster, a locust. Cf. {Locust}.] (Zo["o]l.) 1. Any large macrurous crustacean used as food, esp. those of the genus {Homarus}; as the American lobster ({Homarus Americanus}), and the European lobster ({Homarus vulgaris}). The Norwegian lobster ({Nephrops Norvegicus}) is similar in form. All these have a pair of large unequal claws. The spiny lobsters of more southern waters, belonging to {Palinurus}, {Panulirus}, and allied genera, have no large claws. The fresh-water crayfishes are sometimes called lobsters. [1913 Webster]

2. As a term of opprobrium or contempt: A gullible, awkward, bungling, or undesirable person. [Slang] [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{Lobster caterpillar} (Zo["o]l.), the caterpillar of a European bombycid moth ({Stauropus fagi}); -- so called from its form.

{Lobster louse} (Zo["o]l.), a copepod crustacean ({Nicotho["e] astaci}) parasitic on the gills of the European lobster. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • lobster — (n.) marine shellfish, O.E. loppestre lobster, locust, corruption of L. locusta, lucusta lobster, locust, by influence of O.E. loppe spider, a variant of lobbe. The ending of O.E. loppestre is the fem. agent noun suffix (Cf. Baxter, Webster; see… …   Etymology dictionary

  • lobster — [läb′stər] n. pl. lobsters or lobster [ME < OE loppestre, lopustre < loppe, spider (from the external resemblance: see LOB) + estre: see STER] 1. any of various families (esp. Nephropidae) of marine, bottom dwelling decapods with compound… …   English World dictionary

  • lobster — ► NOUN 1) a large marine crustacean with stalked eyes and large pincers. 2) the flesh of this animal as food. ► VERB ▪ catch lobsters. ORIGIN Old English, from Latin locusta crustacean, locust …   English terms dictionary

  • Lobster — For other uses, see Lobster (disambiguation). Lobster Temporal range: Valanginian–Recent …   Wikipedia

  • lobster — /lob steuhr/, n., pl. (esp. collectively) lobster, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) lobsters. 1. any of various large, edible, marine, usually dull green, stalk eyed decapod crustaceans of the family Homaridae, esp. of the genus… …   Universalium

  • lobster — /ˈlɒbstə / (say lobstuh) noun 1. → rock lobster. 2. any of various edible, freshwater, stalk eyed decapod crustaceans of the family Nephropidae, found in the Northern Hemisphere, with large claws and a smooth carapace; crayfish. 3. Especially… …  

  • lobster — [OE] The Latin word locusta denoted both the voracious grasshopper, the ‘locust’, and the ‘lobster’ or similar crustaceans, such as the crayfish (if, as has been suggested, the word is related to Greek lēkan ‘jump’, then presumably the… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • lobster — [[t]lɒ̱bstə(r)[/t]] lobsters N VAR A lobster is a sea creature that has a hard shell, two large claws, and eight legs. She sold me a couple of live lobsters. N UNCOUNT Lobster is the flesh of a lobster eaten as food. ...lobster on a bed of fresh… …   English dictionary

  • lobster — [OE] The Latin word locusta denoted both the voracious grasshopper, the ‘locust’, and the ‘lobster’ or similar crustaceans, such as the crayfish (if, as has been suggested, the word is related to Greek lēkan ‘jump’, then presumably the… …   Word origins

  • lobster — n. & v. n. 1 any large marine crustacean of the family Nephropidae, with stalked eyes and two pincer like claws as the first pair of ten limbs. 2 its flesh as food. v.intr. catch lobsters. Phrases and idioms: lobster pot a basket in which… …   Useful english dictionary

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