soft-shell crab

soft-shell crab

n. A marine crab before its shell has hardened after molting, especially a blue crab in this stage. Soft-shell crabs can be cooked and eaten whole.

soft-shell crab

n (Animals) a crab, esp of the edible species Cancer pagurus, that has recently moulted and has not yet formed its new shell. Compare hard-shell crab

soft′-shell` crab′

n. a crab, esp. the blue crab, that has recently molted and therefore has a soft, edible shell. [1835–45]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	soft-shell crab - freshly molted crab with new shell still tender and flexiblesoft-shelled crabcrabmeat, crab - the edible flesh of any of various crabs
	2.	soft-shell crab - edible crab that has recently molted and not yet formed its new shellsoft-shelled crabcrab - decapod having eyes on short stalks and a broad flattened carapace with a small abdomen folded under the thorax and pincers