shrimp

[ shrimp ]

noun

, plural shrimps, (especially collectively) 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

/ 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 calledfreshwater shrimp any of various freshwater shrimplike amphipod crustaceans of the genus Gammarus, esp G. pulex
4. Also calledsand 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

verb

1. intr to fish for shrimps

Derived Forms

• ˈshrimper, noun

Other Words From

• shrimplike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shrimp¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of shrimp¹

C14: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Low German schrempen to shrink; see scrimp , crimp

Example Sentences

Women sort shrimp prior to processing at Avanti Frozen Foods, one of the largest producers in India, which is responsible for some 30% of the world’s shrimp exports.

From Science Magazine

In the book, a grid of endless shrimp ponds in Indonesia stretches where mangrove forests recently stood.

From New York Times

Popcorn shrimp is also slated to make its grand return.

From Salon

Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year after an all-you-can-eat shrimp fiasco contributed to financial losses; Rubio’s Coastal Grill did the same following the abrupt closure of 48 locations in California.

From Los Angeles Times

For example, users can type a description such as, “shrimp with a cowboy hat,” and will receive a corresponding emoji to use in communications or create ones based on photos of their friends and family.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clam
• conch
• crawfish
• crustacean
• lobster
• mollusk
• mussel
• oyster
• prawn
• scallop
• snail