crawfish

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crawfish

/ˈkɹɔˌfɪʃ/

Where it comes from

1620s, folk etymology (compare crawl) from Middle English crevis, from Old French crevice (“crab”) (French écrevisse), influenced by fish. Compare crayfish.

noun crawfishes · crawfish

Louisiana, Southern US, Texas, US, Western, countable Any of various freshwater crustaceans: crayfish.
Similar: crawdad, crawldad, crawlfish, crayfish, mudbug, yabby
South Africa, countable, uncountable Any of various marine crustaceans, rock lobster; especially Jasus lalandii, the Cape crawfish.
Canada, Quebec, countable, derogatory, slang, uncountable An English-Canadian. Used in some corners of Quebec (including the Gaspé).

verb crawfishes · crawfishing · crawfished

intransitive To fish for crawfish. As a matter of fact I had to go off at a moment's notice to arrange our connection at the coast. Fellow owning the bungalow wanted to crawfish.
Southern US, colloquial, intransitive To backpedal, desert or withdraw (also used with out). I have never been one to flinch or crawfish when faced with an unpleasant task.

Translations

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verb to backpedal

Español	recular

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Cite this

MLA

"crawfish." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/crawfish. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

crawfish. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/crawfish

Chicago

"crawfish." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/crawfish.

BibTeX

@misc{crawfish_2026,
  title = {crawfish},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/crawfish},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}