blue crab

American  

noun

1. an edible crab, Callinectes sapidus, having a dark green body and bluish legs, found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America.

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Etymology

Origin of blue crab

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

Tender flaked blue crab and summer squash add sweetness and depth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025

Atlantic blue crab species reached the Mediterranean in ballast waters and through the Suez Canal.

From National Geographic • Jan. 29, 2024

Named for their brilliant sapphire-colored claws, blue crab is one of the most iconic species in the Chesapeake Bay.

From Salon • Aug. 15, 2023

In the Chesapeake Bay alone, some 40 species have been caught in derelict blue crab traps, from rock fish and flounder to diving ducks, Havens said.

From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2023

“Just once. A blue crab bit her on the big toe, and that’s all she wrote.”

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen