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lob·ster

(lŏbstər)

1. Any of several edible marine decapod crustaceans of the family Nephropidae, especially of the genus Homarus, having stalked eyes, long antennae, a pair of large pincers, and a cylindrical body.

2. Any of several similar crustaceans, such as a spiny lobster.

3. The flesh of a lobster used as food.

intr.v. lob·stered, lob·ster·ing, lob·sters

To catch or try to catch lobsters.

[Middle English lopster, lobstere, from Old English loppestre, alteration (perhaps influenced by loppe, lobbe, spider) of Latin locusta, locust (grasshopper), lobster.]

lobster·er n.

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lobster

Debelius reef lobster

Enoplometopus debelius

(family Enoplometopidae)

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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