crustacean

Where does the word "crustacean" come from? It comes from Latin crusta, and was adopted directly into English (1814).

Crustacean’s story begins in Latin: crusta meant “a hard shell, a crust.” A hard outer shell, a crust. It reached English by 1814 as crustacean. Lamarck grouped these animals in 1801 as 'Crustacea', having a crust or shell. Today, crustacean means a hard-shelled aquatic animal, such as a crab, lobster, or shrimp.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient crusta "a hard shell, a crust", a hard outer shell, a crust.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1814 crustacean "a hard-shelled aquatic animal", Lamarck grouped these animals in 1801 as 'Crustacea', having a crust or shell.