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mudbug

A folksy Southern US term for a crayfish, the small freshwater crustacean beloved in Cajun and Creole cooking.

ˈmʌdbəɡ147 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

A folksy Southern US term for a crayfish, the small freshwater crustacean beloved in Cajun and Creole cooking. The name perfectly captures where these creatures live — burrowed in muddy riverbanks and creek beds. In Louisiana especially, mudbugs are a cultural institution: boiled with spicy seasoning and eaten by the pound at backyard crawfish boils. The word has genuine regional charm and wide recognition.

She drove four hours just to get a sack of fresh mudbugs for the crawfish boil she was throwing that weekend.
Origin: A descriptive compound word referencing the crayfish's habit of burrowing into mud, long used in Southern US dialect, particularly in Louisiana and neighboring Gulf Coast states. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US, informal) A crayfish.

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