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Synonyms

shrimp

American  
[shrimp] / ʃrɪmp /

noun

plural

shrimps,

plural

shrimp

  1. any of several small, long-tailed, chiefly marine crustaceans of the decapod suborder Natania, certain species of which are used as food.

  2. Informal. a diminutive or insignificant person.

verb (used without object)

  1. to catch or try to catch shrimps.

adjective

  1. (of food) made with or containing shrimp.

    shrimp salad.

  2. of or relating to shrimp or their catching, processing, and marketing.

    a shrimp boat.
shrimp British  
/ ʃrɪmp /

noun

  1. any of various chiefly marine decapod crustaceans of the genus Crangon and related genera, having a slender flattened body with a long tail and a single pair of pincers

  2. any of various similar but unrelated crustaceans, such as the opossum shrimp and mantis shrimp

  3. Also called: freshwater shrimp.  any of various freshwater shrimplike amphipod crustaceans of the genus Gammarus, esp G. pulex

  4. Also called: sand shrimp.  any of various shrimplike amphipod crustaceans of the genus Gammarus, esp G. locusta See also opossum shrimp

  5. informal a diminutive person, esp a child

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (intr) to fish for shrimps

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • shrimper noun
  • shrimplike adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrimp

1300–50; Middle English shrimpe crustacean, puny person; akin to Middle High German schrimpfen to contract, Old English scrimman to shrink

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Maguro shrimp fishing boat docked in Havana three days later than hoped after battling strong winds, currents and a pesky battery, with two other ships due to follow.

From Barron's

The Maguro shrimp fishing boat docked in Havana three days later than hoped after battling strong winds, currents and a pesky battery during its journey from Mexico.

From Barron's

Significant amounts of fish and shrimp come to the U.S. from Asia and overseas fisheries.

From MarketWatch

There will also be shrimp tempura and Georgia peach and ricotta flatbread with hot honey.

From BBC

I especially enjoyed the sweet shrimp and Hokkaido uni served over cold somen noodles.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.