scampi

American

[skam-pee, skahm-] / ˈskæm pi, ˈskɑm- /

noun

Italian Cooking.

plural

scampi

a large shrimp or prawn.
a dish of shrimp or prawns grilled or sautéed in oil or butter and garlic.

scampi British

/ ˈskæmpɪ /

noun

(usually functioning as singular) large prawns, usually eaten fried in breadcrumbs

"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

Etymology

Origin of scampi

1920–25; < Italian, plural of scampo

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 date didn’t start well: a waiter spilled shrimp scampi on her.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

We order two dozen oysters, two dozen scampi and a bottle of local Bordeaux wine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

BBC Food has a simplified version you can make at home more easily using frozen scampi.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025

The best part of shrimp scampi is arguably the garlicky sauce, usually poured over pasta or mopped up with bread.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 31, 2022

Danny'd ordered scampi, bread, and a side salad to build a sandwich.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

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