shrimp

IPA/ʃrɪmp/
KK[ʃrˈɪmp]IPA/ʃrɪmp/

shrimp — noun

  • shrimpsingular
  • shrimpsplural

1. the pink or gray meat from a small sea animal with a curved body and a tail, use

1.nounA2
Definition

the pink or gray meat from a small sea animal with a curved body and a tail, used as food in many different dishes

Example

Salma grilled some shrimp for dinner last night.

food context: shrimp as main ingredient

The shrimp in this coconut curry are small but very flavorful.

Common collocations
  • grilled shrimp
  • shrimp cocktail
  • stir-fried shrimp
  • shrimp salad
Synonyms
  • prawn

    a larger type of shrimp-like seafood, more common in British English

  • shellfish

    a broader category that includes shrimp, clams, crabs, and lobsters

Grammar Patterns

shrimp as uncountable noun (the food)

shrimps as countable plural (the animals)

Usage Note

When talking about the food, shrimp is usually uncountable ('We had shrimp for dinner'). When talking about the animals themselves, the plural can be shrimp or shrimps ('The shrimps in the tank are active').

Common Mistakes

I ate a shrimp soup for lunch.
I ate shrimp soup for lunch.
When shrimp refers to the ingredient, use the uncountable form without 'a'.

2. a small animal that lives in salt water, with a thin outer shell, a long body ma

2.nounA2
Definition

a small animal that lives in salt water, with a thin outer shell, a long body made of several parts, and ten legs

Example

A small shrimp darted between the rocks in the tidal pool.

habitat: tidal pools and sea floors

Mizuki watched a shrimp bury itself in the sand to hide from predators.

Common collocations
  • shrimp burrow
  • shrimp molt
  • shrimp larvae
  • shrimp habitat
Synonyms
  • prawn

    a close relative that is larger and often used interchangeably in cooking

  • krill

    a smaller, shrimp-like creature found in cold ocean waters

Grammar Patterns

shrimp as countable noun

shrimps as plural variant

3. an informal and insulting way to describe a person who is very short in height

3.nounB2
Definition

an informal and insulting way to describe a person who is very short in height

Example

The older boys called Reuben a shrimp because he was the shortest in their class.

informal insult directed at a short person

Élise told her brother to stop using the word 'shrimp' to insult his classmates.

Common collocations
  • call someone a shrimp
  • treated like a shrimp
  • feel like a shrimp
Synonyms
  • runt

    similar insult for the smallest person or animal in a group

  • half-pint

    informal, slightly less offensive than 'shrimp'

Antonyms
  • giant

    a person of unusually great height

Grammar Patterns

call someone a shrimp

treat someone like a shrimp

Usage Note

This is a derogatory term that can cause offense. It is seen as bullying when used to describe a person's body size. Recommended alternatives: 'short', 'small in stature'.

Common Mistakes

He is a shrimp, but he does not mind.
He is short, but he does not mind.
Avoid using 'shrimp' for a person; it is insulting even if said playfully.

shrimp — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Shrimp, prawn, lobster, and crab are all edible crustaceans, but they differ in size, habitat, and how they are usually eaten. Shrimp are small, with a curved body, and are often eaten whole after peeling. Prawn is the term preferred in British English for a larger shrimp-like animal; in practice, the two words are often used interchangeably in recipes and supermarkets. Lobster is much larger, with a hard shell and two large claws, and is considered a luxury food. Crab has a broad, flat body and walks sideways; its meat is picked from the shell. Shellfish is the broadest term — it covers all aquatic animals with a shell, including shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, and mussels. For example: 'The recipe calls for shrimp, but you could use prawns instead.' 'Lobster is served at special occasions, while shrimp is an everyday ingredient.' 'I am allergic to shellfish, so I avoid shrimp, crab, and lobster.'

prawn ↗lobster ↗crab ↗shellfish ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • shrimp and grits
  • shrimp cocktail
  • shrimp fried rice

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'shrimp' comes from the Old English 'scrimpa', meaning 'to contract or shrink', which is related to the word 'shrink'. The sea creature was given this name because of its curled-up, contracted body shape. The use of 'shrimp' to mean a short person appeared later, in the 1800s, based on the same idea of smallness.