Crawfish \Craw"fish`\ (kr[add]"f[i^]sh`), Crayfish \Cray"fish`\
(kr[=a]"f[i^]sh`), n.; pl. -fishes or -fish. [Corrupted
fr. OE. crevis, creves, OF. crevice, F. ['e]crevisse, fr.
OHG. krebiz crab, G. krebs. See Crab. The ending -fish
arose from confusion with E. fish.]
(Zo["o]l.)
Any crustacean of the family Astacid[ae], resembling the
lobster, but smaller, and found in fresh waters. Crawfishes
are esteemed very delicate food both in Europe and America.
The North American species are numerous and mostly belong to
the genus Cambarus. The blind crawfish of the Mammoth Cave
is Cambarus pellucidus. The common European species is
Astacus fluviatilis.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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