a nocturnal freshwater crustacean that resembles a small lobster and inhabits streams and rivers.
Several genera in the infraorder Astacidea, class Malacostraca, including Astacus of Europe and Cambarus of North America
(also marine crayfish)another term for spiny lobster.
Origin:
Middle English: from Old French crevice, of Germanic origin and related to German Krebs(see crab1). In the 16th century or earlier the second syllable was altered by association with fish1
