crayfish

[krey-fish] Origin

cray·fish

[krey-fish]
noun, plural (especially collectively) cray·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) cray·fish·es.
1.
Also called crawdad, crawdaddy. any freshwater decapod crustacean of the genera Astacus and Cambarus, closely related to but smaller than the lobsters.
2.
any of several similar marine crustaceans, especially the spiny lobster.
Also, crawfish.


Origin:
1350–1400; alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle English crevis < Middle French crevice < Old High German krebiz crab1
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Crayfish is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Collins
World English Dictionary
crayfish or esp (US) crawfish (ˈkreɪˌfɪʃ)
 
n , pl -fish, -fishes
1.  any freshwater decapod crustacean of the genera Astacus and Cambarus, resembling a small lobster
2.  any of various similar crustaceans, esp the spiny lobster
 
[C14: cray, by folk etymology, from Old French crevice crab, from Old High German krebiz + fish]
 
crawfish or esp (US) crawfish
 
n
 
[C14: cray, by folk etymology, from Old French crevice crab, from Old High German krebiz + fish]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

crayfish
c.1400, from O.Fr. crevice (13c.), from Frank. word probably related to crab (cf. O.H.G. krebiz "crab, shellfish"); spelling altered 16c. on influence of fish.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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