Spanish word

cangrejo

Pronunciation

IPA/kaŋˈgɾexo/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncrab

Example

¿Quieres comer cangrejo?

Do you want to eat crab?

Illustration for cangrejo (crab)

More examples

Vimos un cangrejo de río junto a la orilla.

We saw a freshwater crab by the riverbank.

Core concept

Edible crustacean with a rounded shell and strong front claws.

Common phrases

  • cangrejo de río

    freshwater crab

  • plato de cangrejo

    crab dish

  • carne de cangrejo

    crab meat

Similar words

langosta: Large marine crustacean with a long segmented body and prominent antennae, prized as food.
gamba: Small, elongated shell-on crustacean commonly cooked and eaten whole.
camarón: Small shrimp-like crustacean usually peeled before cooking or serving.
marisco: General term for edible seafood caught in the sea, especially shellfish.

Definition in Spanish

Crustáceo comestible de cuerpo cubierto por caparazón y con dos grandes pinzas, presente tanto en el mar como en ríos y apreciado en platos regionales.

Word origin

Originates in Latin cancer 'crab', a root shared with English cancer, and evolved in Spanish through regular sound changes plus the productive suffix -ejo.

Usage tips

  • Commonly used in the idiom andar como un cangrejo to evoke sideways movement, and the noun is masculine with the plural cangrejos.

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