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.

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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

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verb

1. (intr) to fish for shrimps

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

Explanation

A shrimp is a small crustacean that lives on the ocean floor. You may be most familiar with the shrimp you order at a seafood restaurant, but there are over 2,000 species of shrimp in the world. While many people think of shrimp as a delicious part of a pasta dish or seafood buffet, there's much more to these tiny animals. Shrimp are invertebrates, with hard exoskeletons, antennae, and eyes on long stalks. They live at the bottom of the ocean, where they filter sand and particles for algae and plankton. Shrimp probably comes from the Old Norse skreppa, "thin person," and fittingly, shrimp is also a mildly derogatory term for a small person.

Example Sentences

The chain ran it roughly annually and restricted the types of shrimp that customers could get.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

If you want another optional, luxe layer — and the dish can handle it — add shrimp.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Our relationship played out over rare steak and shrimp at Dan Tana’s, Japanese food and matcha lattes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

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 • Mar. 24, 2026

The door opens to the wrinkled-brow ghost shrimp who dragged Glish away.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• cramped
• limited
• meager
• microscopic
• miniature
• minuscule
• modest
• narrow
• paltry
• poor
• short
• slight
• small-scale
• young